


Pomegranate Juice

by Rei_Lemon



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Eventual Sex, F/M, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Same universe, it will all be revealed, kind of different backgrounds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:55:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 46,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25672411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rei_Lemon/pseuds/Rei_Lemon
Summary: On her first Masquerade, Mia manages to catch the attention of none other than the Count himself. Despite the fact that he is married, Lucio wants to pursue her.Between the Count's marriage, his ongoing affair, and Mia's personal struggles, a new relationship manages to spring to life.
Relationships: Apprentice/Lucio (The Arcana), Lucio (The Arcana)/Original Character(s), Lucio (The Arcana)/Original Female Character(s), Lucio/Valerius (The Arcana)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41





	1. Red Nectar

I am following Nadia through busy halls of the Palace, where servants in costumes are rushing around completing last minute touch ups. Nadia lowers her pace as we approach my intended changing room.

“You can have the key for the night, to make sure nobody interrupts you.” She notifies me as she unlocks the door and turns to me to hand me the key.

“Oh, thank you!”

She smiles and we both enter the small guest room. My focus goes straight to the sparkly costume lying on the bed, in the center of the room. Immediately I head to the bed to lift up the costume to scan and admire every detail of it. Nadia insisted on making a commission for her tailor to sew me a belly dancing costume. I was hesitant to accept, since I know how hard it is to make them, and therefore expensive. But her persuasion skills got better of me. Now I can’t wait to see myself wearing it.

“Nadia, this is stunning! Thank you so much!”

“You’re quite welcome. Perhaps you should try it now, to be sure it fits.”

“Yes, I’ll change right now!” I excitedly head behind room divider to change out of my Masquerade costume into my dancing costume. Nadia decides to sit on the bed while waiting for me. I have some trouble unbuttoning the buttons on the back of the costume, which is making me start sweating, but there is no way I’m going to ask the Countess to undress me. Finally, I unbutton the last one and slip out of my dress. Luckily, the dancing costume is easy to put on. I step out from behind the screen into the center of the room, to present myself to Nadia. She sits upright, eyes wide while looking at me from head to toe.

“Oh my. You’re going to be highlight of the night, no doubt.”

I feel my cheeks and ears starting to burn.

“I don’t know, we’ll see.”

“There’s no need to be humble, Mia. I wouldn’t hire you if I didn’t think that you’re capable of grabbing guests’ attention.”

“Well, thank you.” Now I’m starting to sweat from this. It’s nice to hear compliments from people, but when Nadia the Countess thinks that you’re a good enough dancer to hire for Masquerade, where everything has to be stunning and perfect, that is a whole another level of feeling admired.

“Alright, I have to get out and check how everything is going.” She says as she stands up and walks to the door, but stops as she opens the door to turn to me. “I will catch you later and will definitely be there to watch the performance.” She gives me a wink and walks out, closing the door behind her.

***

I walk into a room where people are casually eating and drinking, singing and dancing, some of them even using chairs and tables as their dancefloor. Guess that I will have to catch up on the liquor after this. I feel a familiar touch on my shoulder. I turn my head and see Asra. He eyes me from head to toe, then takes my hand and spins me around.

“You look breathtaking.”

“Aww, thank you, Asra. Just the look I was going for.”

He chuckles and lets go of my hand.

“Are you ready? Do you want me to request the songs?”

For whatever reason, I can feel stage fright creeping in. Maybe because I’m performing in front of a large crowd? In front of Nadia, at the Masquerade where the stakes are high? My heart start thumping. Okay, Mia, focus. I’ve been doing this for years and even if I screw something up, I have enough experience to just dance it off. I close my eyes,take a deep breath centering myself and slowly breathe out. I feel Asra’s gentle touch on my shoulder.

“Mia, you’re the last person to worry about performing.” He gives me a reassuring smile, “I’ve seen you so many times, and you have improved tremendously in the last couple of years.” I feel a tingle of warm energy on the shoulder that he’s holding. The nervousness fades away while sense of calm begins to wash over me.

“Thank you, I really started to freak out when I realized how many people are gonna watch me.”

Asra laughs. “I know, kinda figured.”

“And that I have to do everything perfectly so I don’t disappoint Nadia.” I add, feeling better after sharing my worries with somebody. Honestly, I thought I’m going to enjoy the attention of so many people, but I guess I was ignoring my concerns regarding this performance. I know that Nadia doesn’t expect an impeccable performance, but I want it to be like that. She gave me the opportunity to dance at the Masquerade, and the opportunity to help with setting it up. She even requested this stunning costume for me. She’s too good of a woman.

I put hands on my hips and smile at Asra.

“Okay, I got this. Request the songs.”

Asra gives me a quick peck on the cheek, wishing me good luck. I scan the room, searching for an open spot where I could start. As I’m looking around, I spot a familiar tall figure in a black costume with feathers sitting at a table on the far left. Julian is sitting, with his elbows on the table and a mask in his hands, having some kind of conversation with the Count who’s sitting at the head of the table. If I’m not mistaken, they both look kinda drunk. No, they’re definitely drunk. Suddenly Julian averts his gaze from his chatting partner and notices me, which is when I realize that I’ve been staring for an embarrassingly long time. He grins at me and gives me a big wave. Lucio stops his explaining for a moment to avoid the long arms from almost smacking him. I chuckle, waving back.

I strut through the crowd of guests who, noticing my appearance, slowly step away making a big circle around me. I smile and nod at people as a way of thanking them. As I look around, feeling the atmosphere and everyone’s gaze fixed on me, some kind of tingling makes me look on the far left. Immediately my eyes meet with Lucio’s curious stare, which activates a fluttery sensation in my stomach. Okay, that’s weird. I guess my nervousness is coming back. I avert my gaze to the right side, and take a deep breath. Nadia is standing at the entrance of the room, and even though she has her bedazzled mask on I can tell that she’s giving me a reassuring look. Near her is Asra with his one arm around Portia’s shoulders and the other giving me a thumbs up, probably letting me know that the musicians are going to start playing the songs now. Why did I feel butterflies when I looked at Lucio?

I look down at the floor, take another deep breath, and get into a starting stance for the dance. Applause and excited shouts fill the room. I smile at the audience, the support energizing me. Slowly, I start moving my arms and hips. I start making my rounds to the tables on my right letting them admire my moves and intricate details of my costume. I do one of my favorite moves where I pulse my chest to the beat of drums and follow it up with hip waves. The audience applauds at the combo and I shimmy my way to the Countess. She grins and claps to the beat of the music. Her eyes never leave my figure, completely engulfed by my presence. I catch myself grinning too, taking pleasure in the applause of fascinated guests and my friends. The first song is slowly coming to an end and I strut back to the open space where I started. The crowd start cheering and applauding, some even tossing coins in my direction, but I smile and put a finger over my lips, gesturing them to quiet down, since the next song is about to start. Everybody obeys and eagerly awaits my next moves. I can’t help but quickly glance at Lucio. He is leisurely sitting on his chair, watching me with a smoldering gaze. For the first time I notice that he is very handsome.

The first routine was a very easy one, to warm myself up. In the second round I dance for the guests in the middle of the room. This time I dance next to Asra, who starts dancing with me and clapping to the rhythm. He then kneels on one knee and continues rhythmic clapping. I flip my hair and do the lean back move until I slowly descend to the ground, where I continue the dance with a shoulder shimmy and belly waves. That is where the song ends. My breathing is now a bit shorter and my body is starting to sweat, but I feel just peachy. Asra extends his hand to help me stand back up.

“You’re doing amazing, sweety.” I laugh even though I barely heard him over now even louder applause.

“Thank you, honey.” I grin and this time immediately start dancing for the next table when the third song starts.

“When is it gonna be MY turn?” Lucio shouts over the music. Julian laughs and playfully slaps him on the shoulder.

“Don’t rush the performer, Lucenzo.” And weirdly enough Lucio becomes quiet, intently watching my every move.

With hips swaying and arms waving, I slowly make my way to Julian’s table. He scooches in his chair away from the table and leans back, to face me. I always appreciated that about him. No matter how gloomy or shitfaced he was, he would always give his full attention when I’m performing. Tonight he totally drank a lot, and sometimes that makes him… not party friendly. Luckily, he is in a very good mood this time. I notice that there is not much of the song left, and since I don’t want to insult the Count, I shift focus from my friend to approach him.

As I sensually walk towards Lucio, he hurriedly stands up from his chair and offers me his hand. Confused, I gently put my hand in his which makes my heart skip a beat. His hand is surprisingly soft and his grip firm. He guides it in the direction of the chair he stood up from which lets me know that he wants me to perform on the table. I grin at him and, with him still holding my hand, I step first on the chair and then on the table. The table was swiftly cleared out, so I have enough room to perform. Julian and three other guests seated at the table are all leaned back and rhythmically clapping. Lucio is still standing, with an amused look on his face.

I turn my back to him, lift my hair up and do some variations of an eight move with my hips. Then, I turn back around facing him, smiling and fixing my gaze only on him. I sway my hips, slowly stepping towards him, stretching my arms towards him but never touching. He looks transfixed. I pull back, lifting my hair again, moving my chest and belly then slowly descend into a lying position. I prop myself up on my elbows and reach for three coins that I tucked in the top part of my costume earlier at the guest room. With my free arm I gesture Lucio to come closer. He comes forward immediately. This is the first time I notice his silver eye color, which also makes me realize that we’ve never been this close to each other.

“Count, would you be so kind to take these coins and put them horizontally across my belly?”

He opens his mouth in amazement.

“Are you gonna do that roll trick?”

“You are correct.” I smile at him. Man, it’s very hard to peel my gaze away from his eyes.

Excited, his hand quickly but precisely puts coins on my glistening belly. People nearby start closing around the table to get a better look of the trick. I take a moment to wink at Lucio before shifting my entire focus on the gold coins and the muscles of my abdomen. I form a crease to flip the coins once. The audience applauds. Lucio, now standing even closer to me claps with astonishment.

“Can you flip them again?”

“Of course!”

With ease I form another crease and the coins flip to the lower part of my belly.

“Wow!”

I grin at his reaction. Removing the coins I do some shimmy and belly moves while lying down, then slowly stand up to dance to the last parts of the song.

When the song is done, the guests applaud and cheer, tossing coins my way. The sight is exhilarating. Asra is smiling from ear to ear, admiration painted on his face. Julian offers me his hand to help me step back down and gives me a tight hug.

“This is easily your best performance so far!” He has to shout it over the loud applause. After making sure he squeezed the life out of me, he lets go.

Suddenly Lucio appears behind Julian, reaching for my arm and bringing it to his lips. The sensation sends tiny bolts up my arm.

“As you may already know, I am Count Lucio. And you’re Mia?”

How the hell does he know my name?

“Yes, it is, my Count.”

“You can just call me Lucio.”

There’s a glimpse of surprise on Julian’s face, which he quickly masks with a grin.

“Alright, Lucio, you can now leave Mia alone so she can go and unwind.” He jokingly grabs his shoulders.

“Oh. Sure! I’ll catch you later, Mia!” He winks and finally lets go of my hand.

With a small bow and a smile I leave their presence and head for the exit of the room. Passing through the crowd, I can’t spot Asra’s mask at all. Oh well, I’ll meet up with him later. At the exit, Nadia and Portia are patiently waiting as guests stop me in my tracks to give compliments and an occasional coin. Portia is energetically waving, gesturing me to come their way.

“Mia! I was just telling Milady how I’ve never seen you dance this good! I think it’s about time for you to teach me some moves!”

She looks very excited and a tad tipsy. Nadia, amused with Portia’s reaction turns to me.

“I am very delighted with your performance, especially the trick at the end.”

“Oh my god, yes! You need to teach me the trick too!” Portia cuts in.

Nadia and I laugh.

“I definitely will! And thank you to both of you, I’m glad that you enjoyed it. Honestly, I was having my doubts about performing for the first time in front of so many people.”

“Are you kidding? You were radiating with this perfect confidence.”

“Aw stahp, Portia, you’re making me blush.”

“In all honesty, the performance was enchanting.” Nadia says.

“Thank you.” I am so not used to this much praise in such a short span of time.

“You can be the exclusive dancer of the palace, if you’re interested.” Nadia suggests.

Flabbergasted, I gape at Nadia.

“Yeah, definitely! You should think about it, Mia.” Portia rapidly nods with excitement and support.

My lips form a big smile, radiating with joy. I cannot believe Nadia admires my skills enough to suggest hiring me at the palace.

“Yes, I would like that.”

“Yay!” Portia claps her hands.

“I’m very pleased that you accept the offer so quickly. We’ll talk about the details some other day, though. Now is the time to enjoy ourselves.”

I agree and then excuse myself out of the room.

Due to my awful sense of direction, I roam around the palace for a while before finally reaching the room, where I spot Asra leaned against the door frame. I’m not sure if I’m seeing right, but he looks very deep in thought. Like something is troubling him. Maybe he’s just tired and wants to go back home. His expression softens when he notices me.

“Hey!”

“Hi. You okay?”

“Y-yeah. Why?” He gives me a puzzled look.

“Well, you looked kinda moody when I spotted you.”

“Oh!” He chuckles, “No, I’m okay. I was thinking if we should go to the market tomorrow morning.”

Suspicious I scan his face for a moment, but I smile deciding to drop it. If there was something bothering him, he would tell me sooner or later.

“Okay then.”

He opens the door for me and I walk in.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll just wait outside.”

“No, no, please come inside. I need you help me button up my costume.”

“Uh-um, okay.”

We enter the room, and I immediately grab the costume spread across the bed and head behind the screen. While I’m changing Asra is sitting on the bed, turning his mask in his hands.

“I have to say, I’m very proud of you. Everyone in the room was dazzled by your moves and charisma.”

“Thank you, honey. But that wouldn’t be possible without you.” I hear Asra chuckle. I stick my head out from behind the screen since I’m half naked as I’m talking.

“No, I mean it. Nadia just offered me to be the exclusive dancer for palace parties.”

His whole face lights up. “Congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

“See, I told you, you would be hired immediately after this.”

“I know, I know.” I say as I turn my focus back to switching the costumes.

Only now, when I’m changing, I notice that my skin is covered in so much sweat. That is actually understandable, given that I was dancing in a room full of people for almost half an hour. The stage fright didn’t help reduce the sweating either. I reach for my costume hanging from the top of the screen. Thanks to the stickiness I have a harder time putting it on.

“Could you help me with the buttons now?”

Asra stands up at once and joins me behind the screen.

“Mia…” He utters my name in the way I haven’t heard in a long time. It sounds like a mix of worry and… disappointment? I turn my head to face him.

“Yeah?”

“I have to ask you something.”

My stomach drops. So something is troubling him.

“Yes?”

“Do you not like Portia?”

“What? What gave you that idea?” Now I really wish we weren’t in this position where he’s buttoning up my costume because I can’t face him.

“Well, I noticed you were kind of ignoring her this whole night.” He finally finishes buttoning my costume up so I can turn to him.

“Um, I don’t think I was.”

“I don’t know, you barely spoke to her the whole day during prep – “

“If I have, then say sorry to your girlfriend, because I didn’t mean to.” I cut him off and rush to the door, trying to get out of this situation as quickly as possible.

“I just –“ He says, still standing at the same spot.

“Please get out of the room, I have to lock it up and return the key to Nadia.”

Without saying anything else he walks away, leaving me alone in front of the door. What I way to ruin my night.

***

I despise this feeling after a fight. Especially with Asra because, more often than not, I’m the one who lashes out at him who was just trying to calmly talk things out. I drown the last drop of drink in my glass. The chilly air and some solitude on the balcony feel refreshing. After that little outburst, I was in no mood to go back and mingle with the crowd. Although I would like to go back and chit chat with some of my friends, who I know are still there. In a few minutes, though. I let out an annoyed sigh. Just when I was about to relive the argument with Asra, I hear an irritated shouting in the back.

“Ye…No… No, I’ll catch up with you later, Valerius!”

Nonchalantly I turn my head to see who’s approaching. It’s Count Lucio. He grins at me when he sees that I noticed him.

“Heeey, Mia!” He stands on my left side, resting his elbows on balcony fence, with red wine in his right hand. He looks more drunk than the last time I saw him, which was maybe half an hour ago.

“Hey, Lucio…” I smile at him, his drunkenness amusing me. He’s lightly swaying in place, cheeks slightly flushed and ears crimson red. But, somehow, he manages to look me straight in the eyes.

“Are you not enjoying my party?”

“Wha – No, I am. I just wanted to get some fresh air.” I quickly make an excuse.

“Good. I’m having an awesome time.” He pauses for a second, then turns to face me with a curious expression. “How come I’ve never seen you before?”

“What makes you think you’ve never seen me before?”

“Because I would’ve remembered you.” I pause for a second to process what he just said, then I giggle. That was smooth.

“Well, maybe because this is my first Masquerade.” His eyes widen in disbelief. The reaction makes me laugh.

“No way! Are you from Vesuvia?”

“Yeah… I was just always busy at this time of the year.” I make another excuse.

He stands up straight with determination in his eyes and grabs my free hand. “We have to get inside and make up for all those Masquerades you missed!”

I find his response very sweet. I was actually worried that he would get insulted. His hand is still holding mine, so I straighten up and step closer to him. I am just now noticing that he isn’t that much taller than me.

“Awesome!” He exclaims and we start heading back inside, still holding hands. “We have to fill up that glass first. What are you drinking?”

“Pomegranate juice.”

“Juice???” His neck almost snaps at how fast he turned his head to me.

“I know, I know. I didn’t wanna drink before the performance, and I didn’t want to drink alone at the balcony.”

“Do you still want to drink juice?” He asks with a mischievous grin.

“No, I’ll have some red wine.” I grin back.

He’s leading the way through the room and onto the next one in search for the nearest bar. Luckily there are not many guests around, but we still get some stares and side glances, since the Count is holding a hand that isn’t his wife’s. I don’t want to insult him by trying to let go, so I just try to look straight and look unbothered.

“Ah! I knew it was here!” He blurts out and leads me into a room that we almost passed by.

As I look around I notice that this is actually the same room where I performed, which means that there is a lot more people here. There’s Julian sitting at the same table, now chatting with some blonde woman. Good for him. I turn my head back to the Count as we approach the bar. At last, he lets go of my hand to grab a chrome red bottle from behind the counter.

“This one is my favorite! Have you tried this one?”

“No. I’ve actually never seen it.”

“It’s gonna sweep you off your feet… not literally, I hope.” He laughs at himself, and I can’t help but laugh with him too.

He opens up the bottle and fills up my empty glass. A rich, fruity, citrusy scent envelops the air between us. I actually have to stop myself from immediately tasting it. Lucio adds more wine to his own glass then lifts it up.

“Cheers to your first time at the Masquerade, Mia!” The sentence brings out a cheesy grin on my face.

“Cheers!”

Our glasses clink and we both take a sip. The rich taste of fruit in my mouth blows me away. No wonder this is his favorite wine. When I look up from the glass I am met with his expectant stare.

“Now that is a flamboyant wine!”

“Right?? That is exactly why I love it so much!”

“It might be my new favorite too.” I say, wondering where I could find it and if I could even afford it.

“You have good taste.” His voice sounds more intimate now. I smile and indulge in another, bigger sip.

“I like your dress.” He says eyeing me from head to toe.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Lucio answers with his eyes still on my figure.

“I actually made it myself.” I say, proud.

“No way!”

We chat a bit about our costumes, how we both don’t know where we left our masks, and Lucio encouraging me to make a flashier costume next year.

“So what do you want to do? Do you want to dance, visit the aroma room, try some new food, or maybe visit the garden?”

I weight out my options for a moment. “The garden sounds like a good choice.”

“Garden it is!” He drowns the rest of his glass and swaps it with the opened bottle. With his free hand he grabs mine again and we make our way through the masses. I don’t know why he keeps holding my hand, but I honestly don’t mind. It makes me feel good. But why sudden interest in me? Does he just want to have some fun with me for an hour or two before he moves on onto the next person? Or does he want a one night stand? That… No, I’m getting ahead of myself. I don’t understand it, but for now I won’t fight it.

***

After wandering around the garden, seeing all the statues, gorgeous plants and flowers I’ve never seen before and after getting bombed with an egg perfume, luckily with the scent of roses, we decided to sit down at a fountain lip. It is one of the smaller fountains in a secluded area, away from the crowd. Sitting down, I just now notice that I’m a little buzzed from the fruity wine and that my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing the whole time. Drunk Lucio is the only reason why I was laughing tonight. It turns out that he is very easy to talk to, completely opposite of what I presumed.

He scooches close to me, our bodies almost touching. I can’t help but feel the anticipation in the air. He sets aside the now empty bottle and seizes both my hands with his, softly caressing them with his thumbs. His golden hand is surprisingly gentle. The closeness, the massaging, the tipsiness, the sound of only our breathing and the water rippling tranquilizes me. I could fall asleep right here. A sudden flash of guilt makes me snap out of the serene feeling. I shift in my seat.

“Um, Lucio, I have to be honest with you.”

Confused, he looks up.

“Your wife is somewhat a friend of mine. And even if she doesn’t consider me a friend, she still hired me as a dancer for tonight. She also offered me to be an exclusive dancer at more parties.” He loosens his grip and I pull my hands away from his, to rest on top of my lap. “I’m sorry if I ruined any other intentions you had for tonight.”

Lucio just calmly nods. “I understand, but you shouldn’t feel bad. You know, I don’t remember when was the last time we spent a night in bed together.” He chuckles. “Don’t know about her, but I have been with other people, and she never seemed to care… We’re more like married friends.”

For a moment, I just sit there scanning his features. Those sharp cheekbones, jawline, piercing silver eyes. Those alluring, wine stained lips. It’s so hard to resist the urge to lean into a tight embrace and taste those lips. I let out a wistful sigh.

“I don’t think I can. It would feel like going behind a friend’s back.” He nods again, shifting his gaze to stare at the water behind us. I can make out the look of disappointment in his expression. I stand up, not wanting to waste any more of his time. “Thank you for showing me around, I had a wonderful time.” Lucio stands up too, looking back at me with a half-smile.

“I had a wonderful time with you too, Mia.” With his golden arm he gently squeezes my upper arm and leans in, our faces just millimeters away. “You should know… I don’t give up so easily.” He pulls away, and with a wink he strides back to the palace.


	2. A Glass of Water

“Lucio, it is about time you wake up!”

Lucio’s dreamless sleep is interrupted by a familiar voice. He groans.

“Ugh…”

“Come on, you can’t sleep the whole day.”

In the hangover blur, he discerns Nadia’s figure. Knowing her, it’s probably nine o’clock in the morning. Barely opening his eyes, he makes out his surroundings. He realizes that he never made it to his bedroom, and is instead lying on a sofa in the living room.

“What am I doing here?”

“You most likely passed out from drinking too much… wouldn’t be your first time.” She says with an aggravated tone.

Suddenly a throbbing headache hits him, followed by an awfully dry throat. His eyes idly look around searching for water.

“Noddy, could you get me a jug of water? I’m so thirsty…” He still hasn’t moved since he woke up.

“You can get it yourself. I have things to attend to.” She answers and starts walking out of the room.

His brows furrow with pain and now confusion. “What things? Isn’t the party already done?”

She stops with a hand on door handle and sighs in irritation. “Unlike you, I actually make effort to keep the palace in order. I’m going to survey the palace for any damages after such a big party.”

“What about servants?”

Another irritated sigh leaves her lips. “Yes, but there should be no harm in checking everything myself.” Without waiting for a response she leaves.

With great effort, he sits up. The headache now becomes almost unbearable, further enhanced by the spinning of the room. Gritting his teeth he stands up and stumbles his way to the kitchen.

***

After drinking a gallon of water and being force fed some wheat bread by Portia, the Count was feeling so – so. The headache became tolerable and the rooms stopped spinning. Now he’s sitting on a small palace balcony with nothing but a glass of water, letting the fresh morning air clear his head. Last night the food and drinks were impeccable, as always. Maybe he had too many drinks, but it was a celebration of his birthday after all. He recalls the moment where he was actually sipping his favorite wine straight out of the bottle. However, he didn’t finish the bottle all by himself. The thought of wine invokes an image of mesmerizing violet eyes. He shared the bottle with her! With a rush of excitement, he tries to remember every single detail about the girl’s appearance. His recollection was quickly cut off by the sound of familiar footsteps.

Already knowing who the person is, he briefly closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

“Good morning, Lucio.”

He slowly turns his head to the person.

“Morning, Valerius.” Lucio mumbles.

“Did you have a good time last night?”

“Yeah, I had a blast.”

Valerius nods.

“I notice that you have had a few too many.” He says with a hint of repulsiveness in his voice.

Instead of answering, Lucio just rolls his eyes, feeling the headache worsening but for a different reason.

“I see you’re not in the mood.” Valerius snickers. “Are we going to meet up in the evening, perhaps?”

The Count refuses to look at him. Instead he’s just staring at the garden. “Why?”

Starting to feel annoyed with the dry conversation, Valerius sighs. “Since you didn’t want to do anything last night, I thought we could tonight, to make up for it.”

Lucio nods his head. “Oh yeah…” After contemplating for a brief moment he starts shaking his head. “Nah, I don’t feel like it.”

“May I know why not?” He asks now feeling offended.

“I just don’t.” Lucio says with a mocking smile.

Valerius is now glaring at him. “Is it because of that tramp from last night? Did you find yourself a new toy?”

The Count’s expression turns serious and he locks his gaze with Valerius’. “Does that bother you?”

Valerius pauses, scanning Lucio’s features. He softens his expression as much as physically possible for him. “No.” Then he decides to sit on a chair across Lucio. “So tell me about her. What’s her name?”

The question catches Lucio off guard. He furrows his brows in attempt to recall her name. His mind completely blanks. The brows furrow further. Another snicker escapes Valerius’ lips. He stands up.

“I will be _very_ eager to know how that works out.” With that he walks away with a mocking laugh.

***

No matter how much he racked his brain, he just couldn’t remember the name. To put an end to this frustration he looked for Nadia for hours. None of the servants knew where she went, prolonging his torment. After lunch he wandered across the palace halls in hope that she would suddenly appear. To his relief he spots the auburn haired servant, who just happens to be her right hand.

“Portia!” He shouts across the hall as she was leaving one of the rooms. The loud voice startles her.

“Wh- Ah, Count Lucio! How can I help?” She asks with a polite smile.

“Where’s Nadia?”

“I think she just came back from visiting the city.”

“Visiting the city?” He frowns in confusion. “She didn’t mention that she would be out the whole day.”

Portia starts slowly walking away in an attempt to cut the conversation as short as possible. “That is all I know, Count. Now if you’ll excuse me...” Then quickly leaves.

Tired of seeking around the palace so many times, and bumping into busy servants, he decides to just go to Nadia’s bedroom.

Right as he was about to charge into the room he stops, thinking it would be polite to knock first. Who knows, maybe she’s changing.

“Who is it?” The sound of the modulated voice makes him sigh with relief.

“It is me, your beloved husband.” He answers with a dramatic touch. It’s how he often likes to converse with his wife.

There’s a short pause.

“Come in, Lucio.” The same instant the bedroom doors open. The Countess is sitting by the vanity mirror. She turns around in her seat to face him.

“Noddy, where were you the whole day? I really need to talk to you.”

“I sincerely apologize for not being around to chat. However, I already told you I would be busy checking the palace.”

“But you weren’t here the whole time.”

Nadia pauses. “Ah yes, I suppose I hadn’t felt the need to notify you about that. I was having lunch in the city.”

“You had lunch in the city? By yourself?”

Nadia’s lips form a small smile. “I was not alone. I was invited to lunch at a girl’s home.”

Lucio keeps quiet in hopes that his wife would further elaborate.

“I had lunch with our new dancer. Remember her, from last night?”

“You mean the belly dancer?” He tries to sound nonchalant.

“Correct.” Figuring that Lucio is expecting to hear more she continues. “I will meet you in the living room to chat some more.”

Feeling annoyed with the fact that he has to wait some more, but knowing full well that he can never push Nadia, he quietly leaves the room.

***

“What is it you want to know?” Nadia asks while slowly sipping her mint tea.

“For starters, I didn’t know we hired a new dancer!” Lucio starts, sitting across her on another sofa.

“Ah, yes. Since I witnessed your astonishment with her performance, I trusted my judgment and offered her the job immediately. If you’re not pleased with my decision, she will only be at parties thrown by me.”

Lucio tries to contain his excitement as much as possible. “No, you’re right, Noddy. Everyone, including me, enjoyed her dancing. If you hadn’t, then I would’ve definitely hired her.”

She nods in agreement. They sit there, on their sofas, Nadia drinking tea and Lucio adding more sugar to his black coffee.

“Where did you two have lunch?” Lucio asks with a faux casual voice.

“I’ve already told you. At her house.”

“And where’s that?” The question slips out.

She closes her eyes then looks at him. “I am not giving you that information. That would be a violation of privacy, and I think you are aware of that.”

He nods, trying to think of a way to see her as soon as possible. Maybe he could throw another party in a few days.

“However, I suppose it’s alright to tell you where she works.”

He straightens up in his seat.”Yes?”

“At Rowdy Raven, in South End.”

The Count stands up the same instance and darts towards the door, completely forgetting the intention of being sleek. Just as he was about to exit, Nadia’s voice bring him to a halt.

“Why the sudden interest, my beloved husband?”

“Oh, I just remembered I have some things to do. Later!” Without waiting for a response he closes the door behind him.

***

Count’s head is swirling with questions and plots on how to allure the girl. _Should I get her flowers? Or maybe I should stop by the Red Street and pick out a piece of jewelry? Nah, I need to think of something different._ He paces around his bedroom, as he attempts to pick out a casual outfit. It has been ages since someone last turned him down. Just the thought of this new challenge laid before him is exciting, yet he is completely confident that she will give in sooner rather than later. _After all, who can resist my charm and this body?_ Before buttoning up his shirt, he checks himself in the mirror. _And if all else fails, she would be crazy to refuse all the expensive gifts I can offer her._

In the middle of brainstorming he notices that he didn’t have a chance to take a break and recall her appearance. He figured it would best be done before actually seeing her, so he begins. _Let’s see… I’ve already remembered that she has purple eyes, like that purple rock, ame - something. Her hair is very pretty; long, thick, brown hair. I didn’t get the chance to touch it, though. It’s probably as soft as cashmere. And her body… oh my GOD. It is a wet dream._ He decides to stop himself there, before his mind wanders off in a different direction. He proceeds walking around the bedroom, further brainstorming his plan of action. Suddenly an idea struck him. He remembers her saying that she liked his favorite wine. Excited about this brilliant idea, he rushes out.

***

In the chilly night of Vesuvia, Lucio arrives at the entrance of the Rowdy Raven. His presence grabs the attention of passengers, all shocked to see the Count in the South End. He, of course, enjoys the attention. After telling his carriage driver to come back at dawn, he heads straight into the tavern.

Rowdy Raven is an old, dimly lit place that can take about forty guests, most of which are middle aged or older men. The long, white candles burning in the center of each table create a sort of cozy atmosphere. Almost everything was made out of wood.

Lucio could see that only three tables were occupied by older men who are leisurely chatting and sipping their beer out of tin pints. Behind the bar is a woman with a shawl on her head, cleaning up the dishes. No sight of the girl. _Was Nadia messing with me?_

Felling annoyed, he walks up to the counter. The woman stands up when she notices who is approaching.

“Are there any other waitresses in this place?”

Not expecting that kind of question she responds “Yes, I have two more waitresses.”

“Oh, you own this tavern?”

“Correct.” The woman sits back on her chair behind the counter.

“Well, are they coming in tonight?” He just now realizes that he completely forgot to ask Nadia for the name of the dancer.

“No, I gave them a day off.” She gives him a serious gaze. “Why do you ask, my Count?”

“One of them performed last night at my party, and I wanted to properly get introduced.”

“Oh, really? One of my girls performing at the Masquerade... Unfortunately, I don’t know who you’re looking for. One of them is working tomorrow, maybe you’ll have better luck.” She informs him in a monotone voice.

Lucio grits his teeth, in an attempt to not lash out at an old woman. Instead, he just walks out of the tavern.

_How am I gonna get back?_ He is very upset for wasting his whole day searching for people and looking for clues, just to be left waiting even more. To top that off, he doesn’t have his ride back home, because he got too cocky and sent the driver off before checking if the girl is even there. With an irritated sigh he starts walking towards the City Centre in hopes of finding an available carriage.

However, a sight stops him in his tracks.

***

I fidget in my seat, staring at the cup of green tea in my hands. My hangover from this morning is almost completely gone, but now my eyelids feel heavy. With a long sigh I close my eyes, then open them to finally look at Asra. He’s sitting across the room in his colorful pillow corner. He doesn’t meet my gaze, instead he is still staring at his own cup of tea.

“Asra… I want to apologize for lashing out at you last night.”

After a moment, he looks up. “It’s alright, Mia. You really don’t have to apologize about that.”

“No, it’s not alright. I hate lashing out at you. You’re the last person who deserves that.”

He just nods and softly smiles at me. I can’t help but smile back. “You know I can’t be mad at you.” He stands up and joins me at the table where I’m sitting.

“I know, honey.” For a moment we are quiet, just enjoying each other’s company. But, another thing doesn’t sit right with me.

“Did Portia ask you if I don’t like her?”

Asra’s smile fades into a serious expression. “No. But she did ask me if you’re okay, since you barely spoke to her.” He pauses to look at me. “No need to worry about it, you were probably very nervous about the whole performance.”

Then why the hell did he have to phrase it like that? Why is it that I don’t like somebody just because I wasn’t chatty enough that night? _Do you not like Portia?_ Just replaying that question gives me a headache.

I nod, deciding to drop it. There is not enough energy in me to argue. I can’t risk lashing out again.

The little ranting in my head ended when I noticed Asra turning to me with the expression where I just _know_ he’s gonna start teasing me. I’m just not sure what about. “A little bird told me that you and _the Count_ hung out all of last night.” Oh, that.

I giggle. “Well, not _all_ night.”

His eyes widen in surprise. “Wait, it’s true?”

The reaction makes me laugh. “Yeah. We shared a bottle of wine, took a stroll around the garden, chatted a little bit.” I glance at Asra, who’s still a little stunned. “Nothing happened, though.”

He sighs in relief. “Thank goodness, I was worried for a moment.”

“You know I don’t go for married men.”

“I know. But, it’s Lucio. He can be very pushy.” He responds now more serious.

_I don’t give up so easily._ The sentence uttered by Lucio last night. Honestly, I didn’t give it much thought. Maybe he didn’t like the rejection so he felt the need to say something, so it wouldn’t look that bad. Well, I’ll see if he actually does anything.

“Has Nadia seen you two?” I can hear a hint of worry in his airy voice.

“No. But she came over for lunch today.”

Asra leans in, intently listening.

“I mean, I had to tell her everything about last night. Everybody knows it’s a loveless marriage, but still… it would be wrong not to.” He nods in agreement. “And, well, she basically explained that it is completely fine if I decide to engage in an affair with him.”

He looks shocked for a split second then continues nodding. “Yeah, it’s no secret that he’s sleeping around.” He rests his chin on his hand. “Do you want to do that, though?”

I haven’t had a chance to consider it. He probably forgot about me anyway, since he was quite drunk. But, if he didn’t…

“I guess I do.”

Asra nods like he expected that answer.

I continue. “I mean, it wouldn’t be anything serious… and there is no harm. So, why not.” Shrugging nonchalantly, I take the last sip of my tea.

“I just want you to be careful. Lucio is… not a good person.” He expresses his concern.

I sigh. “I know. You don’t have to worry, honey.” I give him a reassuring smile.

“Come ‘ere.” He stands up, pulling me into a tight embrace. I’ve always loved the fact that we’re the same height because our hearts beat against one another when we hug. His hair smells like usual, cinnamon and white sage. There is a weak hint of a sweet perfume. Probably Portia’s from last night.

“It’s getting late.” I say pulling away from the hug.

He lazily yawns as a perfect response, “Right.”

I grab my bag and coat from the chair at the entrance door.

“Oh, you wanna go to the market tomorrow?” Asra asks as I’m about to leave.

“Sure!”

“Do you want me to walk you back home?”

I smile fondly. “No, there’s no need. Thank you.”

After giving each other a quick kiss on the cheek, I step out of his house.

***

Deciding between food and sleep for dinner, I discern a familiar figure in the low lit street of South End. Butterflies fill my belly. It’s Lucio. With hands in pockets, he is looking deep in thought. What is he doing here? I suddenly become very aware of how I look. My hair is in a low ponytail, like I’m about to do manual labor, and I’m wearing my worn-out coat with a long skirt that I usually wear around the house. He might not even recognize me looking like this. Oh, shit. He’s walking in my direction. What do I do? Should I just act casual, like I didn’t notice him, or do I say something?

With hectic questions swirling around my head, and him moving closer, I decide to just walk by him without a word. That’ll show me if he remembers me at all. Looking straight ahead, just moments away from each other, I catch him looking up from the ground and checking me out. I ignore his gaze as we pass each other, which makes me slightly disappointed for a second.

“Hey!” The unexpected sound of a raspy voice makes me flinch. I turn my head.

“Lucio! Hi!” Smiling, I approach him, trying my best to sound surprised.

“What a nice surprise!” He grins, taking my hand to plant a soft kiss.

“What is the Count doing here, at this hour?” I am genuinely curious.

“Looking for a beautiful dancer.” He winks.

It takes me a moment to comprehend his answer.

“But… I don’t remember telling you where I live.”

“I actually stopped by the tavern where I was told you work.”

“Oh…”

“So you live nearby too?” He asks, clearly happy about finding useful information without even trying. I laugh.

“Maybe.”

“Okay, how about getting a drink somewhere?”

I shake my head, “I don’t think so.”

“May I know why?” Lucio’s face looks tired, and maybe a little irritated.

“Well, it’s getting late and I have a lot to do tomorrow.” I take a moment to scan his face and then smile. “You look tired too, my Count.”

“Me? Tired? Pssht, never!” He exclaims, in an attempt to appear energized. He steps closer. “We can go anywhere you want. We’ll eat, drink and then get some rest.”

Now I’m stumped. I do want him to work just a little harder, since he’s obviously used to having everything handed to him on a silver platter. On the other hand if I accept, I would eat some good food, maybe make out with him, and sleep in a comfy bed. I give him a charming smile. “That sounds lovely, but no.” His expression clearly states his disappointment. “Thank you for your offer, though.” Without waiting for a response, I start walking past him. I don’t manage to get too far before a strong grip grabs my forearm.

“Wait.” I turn around, half expecting Lucio to yell at me for rejecting him once more. Instead, I see him reaching for something in his snake skin bag. He pulls out a bottle of that godly red wine.

“Here. My gift to you, for being an awesome company last night.”

The gesture leaves me speechless. I accept the bottle with both hands, cautious not to drop it.

“I – Thank you so much, Lucio.” Does he now expect me to accept the offer? Or is he being genuinely nice?

“No problem. You can’t buy it anywhere in the city. I have it specially delivered to the palace.”

“Wow.” Is all I manage to utter. Guess I’ll be having one glass a year.

“Can I come by your work tomorrow?”

Convincing myself that this isn’t because of the nectar, I nod. “Yes. Although, it would be wise to come by later, before closing.”

“Okay! See you tomorrow!” Now looking much more enthusiastic he starts walking away. Towards… what? I don’t see any royal looking carriage nearby. Or any kind of carriage for that matter.

“Wait!” Now it’s my turn to stop him. “Where are you going?”

Looking puzzled by my question he responds, “Um, to see if I can get a ride home?”

I’m confused for a brief moment, then I realize. Of course he doesn’t know. I giggle. “Lucio, there are no carriages around at this hour.”

His eyes widen in shock. “What? Why?”

I have to stifle more giggling. Oh, to be a privileged royalty. “Well, coachmen have to sleep too.”

“Damn it!” Looking upset, he continues. “I guess I’ll have to walk home then.”

“No, Lucio!” Amused I walk towards him. “First of all, it would take you at least an hour to get there. Second, do you even know how to get from the South End to the palace?”

Slightly pouting he averts his gaze. That’s what I thought. “You can spend the night at Rowdy Raven. I’ll let Mazelinka know.”

Sighing dramatically, but accepting his fate, he follows me to the tavern.

***

After escorting Lucio through the back entrance, to an upstairs bedroom, I inform Mazelinka of the uncommon guest. Figuring that it would be polite to offer him something to eat, I walk back to his room.

He’s sitting at the edge of the bed, frowning with arms crossed. His presence does look very out of place in this small, modest room. I stand in front of him.

“Do you want something to eat?”

As his focus shifts to me, the frown fades. “I guess. Whatever you think is good.”

Since the tavern closes soon, there were hardly any snacks left. I figured it’s best to pick something up at my house. Being hungry myself, I grabbed whatever didn’t require cooking, cut it up to look presentable, and hurried back.

With both hands holding the plates I open the bedroom door with my elbow. “Hey. Did you wait long for me?”

“No, that was fast actually.” He stands up from the bed to take one of the plates. I notice he took off his coat and boots while waiting for me to get back. We sit at the small table placed across from the bed.

“I didn’t expect for you to join me.” He smiles at me then eyes his plate. “What do we have here… what’s this?” He points at the thing I expected he wouldn’t recognize.

“Those are crackins. Basically, fried pork fat and skin.”

“Oh right. I think I tried that a long time ago.” Without any complaints he starts eating. There’s white bread, crackins and tomato, my go to meal when I’m too lazy or tired to cook. It’s simple but delicious.

We eat in silence, lost in our own thoughts. Or maybe we’re just too tired and hungry to start a conversation.

We finish eating at the same time, which means that he’s a fast eater too. After draining a glass of water he stretches his arms then looks at me.

“Are you gonna join me in bed too?”

The bluntness makes me laugh. It’s kinda unbelievable that a person like him is a Count. Coming up with an answer, I realize something.

“Lucio, I just noticed that you haven’t said my name the entire evening.”

He averts his gaze to the floor, his lips forming a thin line, not even trying to hide the guilt. I playfully shake my head.

“Oh, Count. You don’t even know the name of the lowly citizen who prepared you food and bed.” I tease, his guilty expression amusing me.

He meets my eyes, blush spread across his cheeks and ears.“Okay, look. I really wanted to see you, so I focused on asking where you are, but then I forgot to ask for your name.” Searching my face, Lucio adds, “I was very drunk last night. Your name got lost somewhere in my head, but my picture of you hasn’t.”

I decide to stop teasing. It’s obvious that he was eager to see me. Even though I rejected him again, he still wasn’t pushy. Now I almost don’t want to play the hard-to-get game.

“It’s Mia.”

“Mia! Right!” His eyes light up in recognition, lips forming a genuine smile.

Grabbing the plates, I stand up. “Well, _Lucio_ , I have to go home. I’ll - ”

“Wait, you’re already going?” He interrupts, sounding bummed out.

Smiling, I explain. “It’s pretty obvious that we’re both too tired to stay up all night to talk… or whatever.” He opens his mouth to protest but I continue. “Even if you’re not, I am. I’ll stop by in the morning to unlock the entrance door.”

For a moment he just sits in his chair eyeing me. “Alright, alright.” He stands up and walks me to the bedroom door. Just as I reached for the handle, he rests his golden hand on the door. “I want to change the plan for tomorrow, though.” I gaze at him, anticipating a new suggestion. Standing this close to him, I notice that the kohl makeup on his right eye got a little smudged. That is when I realize that I have seen very few men wearing makeup. And his makeup is bold, which I admire. Catching myself zoning out, I refocus to Lucio speaking.

“… very dull, so I want us to go to an inn at the Heart District, I heard there’s a good one there. I can pick you up after work.”

Catching the most important parts I nod in agreement. “Okay. I’ll probably finish around ten.”

“Deal.” He moves his hand from the door to take mine. He brings it to his lips, his elongated eyes locked on mine.

I clear my throat. “I gotta go. Have a good night’s rest, my Count.”

Lucio opens the door for me, “You too, _Mia_.” With that, I walk out.

The way my name rolls off his tongue is really something else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this one!  
> I'll try to upload every two to four weeks, depending on how much I have to study.  
> Big thank you to those who gave me Kudos! <3  
> Also, would you like to read about spicy scenes with other pairings, or just Lucio and Mia?  
> ***  
> Follow me on Instagram to see CGs of my fanfiction!  
> @miss__lemon___


	3. Breathless

Asra and I are making our way through the lively crowd of the Marketplace. No matter what day it is, the market is always filled with customers and window shoppers. We had to stock up on groceries and find me a new pair of shoes, since the pairs I own are in no condition to be worn on a first date with _the Count_. I still can’t wrap my head around that fact. Lucio, who could be with anyone he wants, chose me. I can’t help but feel flattered, and maybe a bit cocky. Last night I kept making up outfits for the date in my head. The excitement kept me up almost the entire night.

My pondering is interrupted by the sweet, warm scent of the best pumpkin bread in Vesuvia. I turn to Asra and he’s already looking at me. We both know what the other is thinking. Luckily, there are no people in our way, so we rush to the bakery with almost a skip in our steps.

We’re greeted with the deep voice of our good friend.

“Hey.” Muriel nods at us before putting four loafs of _the bread_ in the oven. “It’ll be done soon.”

“It’s like you sensed our craving.” I joke.

“Can you join us?” Asra asks as we’re about to sit at our usual spot.

“In a bit.” With his response, Asra turns to me. He leans on the table and gets ready to absorb everything I tell him about last night. Not needing to ask, I begin.

Just as I finished, Muriel brings the freshly baked loaf of pumpkin bread and joins us at the table.

“You’re not eating with us?” I ask, since Asra and I always share a loaf.

“No. I already ate.” Muriel responds, with obvious sleepiness in his voice and eyes.

“Didn’t get much sleep last night?” Asra asks, noticing the same thing I did.

“I did. But I spent the whole day yesterday training.” He explains, resting his elbows on the table.

“Oh, when is the match?”

“In a month.”

“Do you know who you’re up against?” I’m curious, but maybe it’s too soon to know.

“I don’t know. Only that it’s someone from the Countess’ place.” The sleepy tone in Muriel’s voice doesn’t change. He doesn’t look worried at all.

“Really?! That’s interesting.”

“Do you think Nadia arranged it, or if that’s just a coincidence?” Asra follows up with a question.

“I don’t think so. She rarely attends the matches.”

“Oh! Speaking of the Countess, guess who Mia has a date with tonight?” Asra’s asks with an amused grin.

Muriel looks at me, tired and confused. “The Countess?”

Asra and I glance at each other, both trying to stifle a laugh so we don’t choke on the bread. Swallowing, I answer, “With the Count, actually.”

Muriel’s eyes briefly widen in shock before returning to their sleepy state with a slight frown. “Why?”

Expecting that question from him, I answer, “Well, we met at the Masquerade, and had a good time. Then he came down to Rowdy Raven last night to ask me out, but I said no. Thanks to his amazing decision-making skills, he had to spend the night there. We chatted and long story short I agreed to go on a date.”

Muriel nods, somehow understanding what I just said. “So, you like him?”

“Well… nothing serious can ever happen, so it doesn’t matter. But I figured, since the Count likes me, might as well use him for his money.” Just as I answered, a customer enters the bakery.

Standing up, Muriel quickly responds, “He’s not good for anything else, anyway.” then proceeds walking towards the counter.

Asra turns to me again. “How was he this morning?”

Giggling just from the thought of him, I answer. “Oh, you should’ve been there.”

***

_My sleep is rudely interrupted by the annoying sound of an alarm I set for six in the morning. With my eyes half open I leave the warmth of my bed to start the day._

_After preparing a small snack for Lucio, since I’m sure he would rather have his breakfast at the Palace, I’m on my way to Rowdy Raven. Noticing an ornate coach in front of the tavern, I decide to approach the driver. He gives me a puzzled look._

_“Good morning, sir!” I say in a lively voice._

_The driver blinks a few times, “Morning.”_

_“I just wanted to let you know that Count Lucio will be out shortly.”_

_“Oh. Thanks for telling me.” He answers, tipping his hat. I give a smile and a small bow, and turn towards the tavern._

_There is no response after I knock on the bedroom door. I knock again. Still nothing. Maybe he’s still sleeping? I open the door with a small creak and peek in._

_Lucio is still well asleep, curled up underneath the blanket. His hair is splashed around the pillow, his kohl makeup smudged. Even though he looks deep in slumber, there’s a slight frown on his face. If I didn’t have to go to the market with Asra, I would just leave him be and go downstairs to tidy up the place. Unfortunately for him, I have stuff to do._

_Approaching the bed, I lean over his figure, softly grabbing his shoulder and lightly shaking it. “Lucio, wake up.” I say with a warm voice._

_“Where cookie – “he mumbles, then flinches before slowly opening his eyes. “Whaat…” After blinking and looking around, his sleepy gaze meets mine. “Heeey, Mia…” His hand lazily reaches from underneath the blanket to rest on mine that is touching his shoulder._

_“Somebody didn’t sleep well last night.” Teasing, I free my hand so I can sit on the bottom corner of the bed._

_“Ugh... I tossed and turned for hours.” He answers in a hoarse voice, stretching his arms and legs._

_Hearing his voice, I stand up to bring him a glass of water. “Here.”_

_Accepting the glass, he sits up, which makes the blanket slide off his torso. His bare torso. And that is when I realize that he is completely naked underneath. Trying not to stare, I turn my full focus to his face. His hair is a mess, almost every strand going its own way._

_“Why did it take you so long to fall asleep? Were you cold?”_

_Finishing the glass, he responds, “Not really. The blanket is thick... I’m just not used to sleeping in a place like this.” He hands me back the glass. “Did you see a carriage outside?”_

_“Yeah, it’s waiting for you.” Walking to the door, I add, “If you want, you can come downstairs to warm up and have a quick snack.”_

_“’Kay.” He responds with a quiet voice before lazily reaching for his shirt._

***

“We didn’t chat that much when he came downstairs, though. He was barely keeping his eyes open.”

Asra chuckles. “That is one of those situations that you could never imagine being a part of.”

I nod, smiling. I notice that I have been smiling a lot since the Masquerade.

After eating the last bit of the food, we stand up from the table.

“Good luck on your date, I guess.” Muriel adds from behind the counter.

I giggle, “Thank you, Muriel.”

After saying bye to our friend, Asra and I step out into now less crowded market. As always, he walks me back to my house.

“I forgot to tell you, Portia and I won’t be able to stop by tonight.” He says as we approach my house.

“Awh, that’s too bad.”

“It’s her free night in a while, so she wanted to cook me dinner…”

Nodding, I reach into my bag for the keys. “I get it. But I’ll get to see you tomorrow?”

He grins, “Definitely. I can’t wait to hear everything.”

“Yay.” We give each other a kiss on the cheek, “See ya, honey.”

“Bye, sweetie.” with a small wave, he heads back to his home.

Now, time to start getting ready for the date.

***

Swimming around in her bath pool, Nadia cannot seem to brush off the feeling of restlessness. Was it the wave of delayed duties demanding her attention? Though it can be stressful, she could always handle them, no matter the amount. Was it the approaching arrival of her sisters? Perhaps. They may be upset with her for not inviting them to visit. She has not seen them in so long. Since the wedding. Nadia swims another lap. The restlessness sits somewhere else. Three years since the wedding. Two years since she felt a man’s touch. She swims to an edge of the pool. It has been so long.

She props herself out onto a towel lying on the floor. Her senses are enveloped in the flowery scents of perfume and soaps. Her eyes gaze at the plumeria petals on the surface of the water… then they travel to her wet skin. Glistening, smooth… and flushed on her chest and belly. She lies down, propping herself on her elbows. Her right hand travels from her soft thigh, over her belly, towards her breast. She starts caressing it. Her index finger fondles her already hard nipple. A small heated sigh leaves her lips. She moves onto her other breast, groping slightly harder. Her chest and loins are now burning. She can feel the liquid already dripping down. Her long legs spread apart. Sucking in breath, her hand moves from her breast to her outer lips. Her finger slowly grazes around them, taking its time. Her breaths become shorter. She moves onto the inner lips. With a small gasp, she closes her eyes. It does not take too long before she adds one more finger. The two digits begin rubbing against her wet vagina. The sounds of wet lips and heavy breathing fill the room. The fingers move upwards gently rubbing her clitoris. She arches her back, leaning her head backward gasping. She caresses the sensitive spot in circular motions, her breaths becoming shorter, almost panting. Her trembling body is now covered in a light layer of sweat. The soaked hand hardens the massaging, her other hand fondles her nipple. With hips thrusting and toes curling, she reaches climax, biting her lower lip to stifle a loud moan. She just lies there for a moment, relaxing and enjoying the feeling of release, her breathing steadying. Sitting up, she slides back into the pool.

***

Drinking the last sip of his light beer, Julian stands up from his table to hang out by the counter. The waitress, Mia, quickly glances at him before returning her focus to speedily washing the dishes. It is almost closing time. The last two patrons are finishing their drinks, their discussion reaching its end.

Julian eyes Mia from head to toe. “I have to tell you that you look stunning.”

She looks up to smile at him. “Thank you, Julian.” She moves on to cleaning the counter.

“Is there a special occasion, or did you randomly dress up again?” He asks, moving his elbows away from the counter.

She is silent for a second, a delightful smile forming on her lips. Meeting his gaze, she answers, “I guess there’s no harm in telling you… I have a date -”

The sound of doors opening interrupts her. The patrons are leaving, saying goodbye to her on their way out. For a moment, she thought that Lucio already arrived.

Mia and Julian face each other again.

“You have a date?”

“Yes… With the Count.”

Julian opens his mouth in surprise. “Wh – Really?”

Mia nods.

His face is puzzled, as if he is calculating something. Then something dawns on him. “Actually, it makes sense. He was all over you at the Masquerade.” Mia giggles. He moves on, flashbacks of the night resurfacing. “Oh, so that _was_ you two clinking the wine glasses. I was so hammered that night, I wasn’t sure if I was seeing right.” He chuckles.

“Well, you did.” Mia responds, briskly walking to pick up the left over glasses and return them behind the counter.

“He also asked for your name, when I waved at you before your performance.” He nods to himself, “It would actually be strange if he hadn’t asked you out.”

Before she responds, her eyes check the time on the wall clock. There is five minutes left until he is supposed to arrive. Not expecting to finish the shift so late, she reaches for her bag lying on a chair behind the counter.

“Oh sh –. Julian, I gotta change my clothes. He’ll be here in like five minutes.”

“I see.” He’s still sitting, not moving at all. “If you want, I can finish up in here, if there’s anything left.”

Not bothering to go somewhere private, she takes off her work clothes. Now only in underwear, she responds, “You don’t have to do that, Julian.”

“It’s fine, really.” He looks out the window to check if there’s a carriage outside, but also trying not to stare at Mia in her underwear.

“Okay, then. Thank you.” She is putting down her hair and doing last touch ups in front of a nearby mirror.

“Is he still not there yet?” Mia asks, turning toward the window.

“Seems so.” He glances back. “Oh, wait. There he is.”

With her heart skipping a beat, she takes a deep breath. She looks around the room, “Most of the stuff is taken care of. I think the only thing left is writing down the sales.”

Julian nods. “Alright. Go, have fun.” He smiles at her.

She grins, making one last check in the mirror, “I will. Bye.” She strides her way out the door.

“Bye bye.”

After hearing the doors close, Julian stands up, avoiding looking out the window.

***

Closing the door behind me, I walk towards the coach. It’s ruby red, adorned with gold ornaments. Ahead of the coach are four beautiful white horses with red plumes. The Count just doesn’t know how to be subtle. The neighbors are most probably looking out their windows right now. I sigh, realizing there are gonna be questions and weird looks tomorrow.

The coachman is waiting for me next to the door. “Good evening, Ms. Mia.” With a small bow, he opens the door for me.

“Thank you.” I pull up my dress, stepping into the royal carriage for the first time in my life.

The inside of the carriage seems even bigger, with two red velvet covered seats facing each other. My eyes meet Lucio’s figure, leisurely seated on one of the seats.

“Long time no see, Mia.” He greets me with a pearly white grin.

“Indeed, Lucio.” Grinning back, I decide to sit on the opposite side. My body instantly melts in the comfort of the padded seat.

“You look stunning.”

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.” His face is now well rested, makeup in place… and outfit much flashier. He’s wearing a rose red suit with gold details all over it, a black shirt underneath, fur collar coat resting on his shoulders, and black leather ankle boots with a small heel. That makes me wonder; is he self-conscious about his height? The sound of his clear voice refocuses me back on his face.

“The inn isn’t too far away. We should arrive in a couple of minutes.”

I nod. “Okay, good.”

“Are you well rested tonight?”

Figuring that he’s referring to last night, I smile. “Yeah, are you?”

With mischief in his eyes, he answers, “Oh, I could stay up all night.”

“Good, ‘cause I could too.” I tease.

After chitchatting about the weather like awkward sixteen year olds, the coach comes to a stop. Wow, we already arrived. Sometimes I forget how close the South End and Heart District really are.

The coachman opens the doors.

“After you.” Lucio gestures towards the door. I guess he does know some chivalry. That or he just wants to check out my butt.

After stepping out, I look around. Even though I visited this part of the town a couple of times, the architecture and flora always astound me.

“Here we are.” Lucio steps beside me, offering me his elbow. I accept it and we walk towards the inn. It’s painted white and decorated with pastel pink details.

The inside is dimly lit with thick rose pink candles. Walls and the floor are of white painted wood, making the interior seem even bigger. An array of round, wooden tables fills the room, with white chairs, padded with pearly fabric, laid beside them.

Two servers approach us. “Welcome.” They bow, mostly towards Lucio, before taking our coats. “We have our best table ready for you.” It feels so weird being on the other side of service.

As we walk towards the table, I gaze around some more. The place is decorated with small potted plants, like ivy, and gold framed landscape paintings. A small fireplace in the middle is filling the room with warmth. Actually, our table is placed right in front of it. I’m stunned by how welcoming and cute this place is. As I scan the interior, I notice something missing.

After being seated and Lucio ordering a bottle of their best wine, I lean in to ask him a question. Curios, he mirrors me.

“How come there are no other guests?”

“Oh… I reserved the whole place for the night.” He proudly grins.

Of course he did. “Okay, that makes sense.” I smile, leaning back.

The wine is served and we order our dinner. Lucio is having a medium rare steak with vegetables on the side. I also ordered steak, but well done.

“Well done? Why? You’re ruining the meat!” Lucio isn’t at all hiding his shock. He seems slightly disgusted too.

“How can you like eating bloody meat?” Grinning at him, I cross my arms and lean back, making myself comfortable.

His eyes widen dramatically, “No, the meat is soft, as it should be!”

The disbelief on his face makes me laugh, “No, it’s still raw!” I just can’t contain my laughter.

Lucio joins me. “Okay, okay. Whatever you say.” He rests his elbows on the table.

I do the same. “So… is the Masquerade always that huge?”

“Yes. Actually, it gets bigger every year!” Beaming with pride he continues, “There were guests even from outside Vesuvia! I guess the word spread out, about how glamorous and awesome it is.”

A wide grin spreads across his face.

“I’ll make sure to make it to the next one too!”

“Oh, definitely! You’ll have to perform again!” The enthusiasm makes me smile. I just nod.

“And how long have you been the Count? Six years?”

“That is correct!”

I lean in a little closer, “Now, I apologize if I’m over the line here, but, how old are you?”

Lucio chuckles, “Geez, you’re not over the line. I turned thirty seven.”

“Oh. Thank you for telling me.”

“No problem, Mia. And when is your birthday?”

“On October 8th.”

“Am I invited to your next one?” He looks at me with a goofy grin, which makes me giggle.

“Maybe.”

Our steaks are served, and we dig in. We continue our conversation in between bites.

“Tell me, Mia…” He makes a short pause while eyeing me, “Are you seeing anybody?”

I stop cutting the steak to process the question. Then I smile. “My, what a bold question, so early on. Why do you ask?” Teasing, I casually continue cutting.

He chuckles, shaking his head. “I like to know if there’s any competition.”

The answer almost makes me want to lie. However, that wouldn’t be right. “Nope. There is no man in my life, currently.”

Obviously satisfied with my answer, he nods and continues eating.

“I have to say that you picked out a good location. The inn is gorgeous and the food is delicious.”

Smiling, he responds, “Yeah, I’m not so sure about yours, but my steak is delicious.” I chuckle. His hand holds up the wine glass, from which he barely drank. “I know that this wine is expensive, but the taste is nothing compared to that wine we drank together.”

“Oh, I agree.” Seriously, I don’t think I’ll ever taste anything like that wine.

The light flickers for a second and then dies out. Our focus shifts to the smoke coming from the wick of the rose candle placed on our table.

“What happened to the flame?”

“Oh, I’ll get that.” With the snap of my fingers, I light up the wick.

Wide eyed, Lucio stares at the new flame then at me, stuttering “W – what?”

I chuckle, “Oh, I practice magic.”

“Wow! Do that again!” Excitedly, he blows out the candle.

Amused, I do the same thing. With sheer enthusiasm, he looks around.

“Oh! Can you turn the tables into white dogs?”

Laughing at the silly question, I respond, “No.”

“Peacocks?”

“I have to disappoint you once more, but no.”

“Aww… Can you conjure the good wine?”

I chuckle then ponder for a moment, “I don’t think so.” I take my glass, “But maybe I can try to make this one taste better.”

Intrigued, he leans in and I close my eyes, remembering the taste of the wine.

“Nothing happened?”

“Let me take your glass.” I grab it and do the same.

Opening my eyes, I hand the glass to him. “Taste it.”

Without hesitation, he brings it to his lips, taking a small sip, “Mmm!” then immediately taking a bigger sip. Nodding, he puts down the glass, “It does taste better!”

“Glad you like it.”

He looks at me with admiration.”It’s awesome that you know magic too.”

“Well, I know only basic stuff, just the things I found useful in a daily life.”

“Still, it’s pretty awesome. I never learned how to do it.”

“Maybe I could teach you some time.”

Grinning, he answers, “It’s a deal.” followed by a wink.

We comfortably share silence as we finish our food. The servers take our orders for desert. Even though I’m already full, I can’t pass up an opportunity to taste their chocolate éclairs. To my surprise, Lucio doesn’t order anything.

“Why not?”

“Nah, I don’t wanna get too full.”

“The desert doesn’t go into your belly, it goes into your soul.”

He laughs, leaning back into his chair, resting his arms behind his head. “You’re cute.”

For the first time this evening, I blush. In an attempt to play cool, I come up with a question. “What are we doing after the dinner?”

He looks around the room, pondering. “I don’t know. What do _you_ wanna do?” His eyes meet mine, his lips forming a smirk. I know what _he_ wants to do.

“We could take a walk around the district. I’ve actually never had a chance to take a stroll.”

He nods. “Okay, we’ll take a walk.”

***

Lucio was kind enough to give me a short tour around the Heart District. It was almost midnight, and there were no people around, except for some guards. Most of the properties are painted in white with colorful details. The landscape is well cared for and the whole district is very quiet at this hour. Even though there was not much to see in the softly lit streets, I adored the sights. I felt pretty good about myself, like I was given an exclusive tour and by none other than the Count himself.

We decided to make a stop on one of the small bridges.

“It’s best to visit during the day. Like this you can’t see all the colors of the buildings and luxuries that shops sell.” Lucio adds, leaning his back on the fence.

“I guess you’ll have to give a daytime tour too.” Smiling, I lean next to him, facing the water. We are close, but our arms are not touching. The air is chillier than usual. My body is slightly trembling under the thin layer of my coat. The satin dress underneath is not helping at all. “Thank you for the dinner and the tour. I had I great time.”

“I had a great time too.” Answering me in an intimate voice, he turns and steps closer. Our elbows are pressed together, and I can hear his breathing… and he can probably notice my trembling.

As he obviously noticed, he unties his coat and opens it. “You wanna warm yourself up?” He asks with a wink.

Sucking in a breath, I take a moment to consider the offer. Then I shrug nonchalantly “Okay.”

My heartbeat picks up a pace as I approach him. The distance between our bodies is for the first time closed. His arms rest around my waist, wrapping the coat around me. The embrace is tight, keeping away the cold. My arms are curled up, resting on his rock solid chest. His whole torso is hard. The spicy scent of his perfume and a tangy whiff of red wine envelop my senses. I look up. His gaze locks with mine. A blush spreads across my cheeks and a fluttery sensation fills my belly. Right arm moves from my waist to gently stroke my hair. Then the hand travels onto my face, cupping my cheek. His eyes focus on my beauty mark, just above my lips. His thumb slowly grazes over it.

“Beautiful.”, his voice barely a whisper.

The hand glides to the back of my neck. He looks deep into my eyes, lips slightly parted. The grip on my waist tightens. With our lips just a breath away, we hold our gaze for a moment before closing our eyes… to melt into a gentle kiss. His soft lips fit perfectly over mine. The hand on the back of my neck moves down to my upper back, pressing me against his chest. I move my hand to grab his golden shoulder. Our lips part, his wet tongue licking my lower lip before meeting with mine. The acidic taste of wine in his saliva, his hot breath, those lustful lips and the tight embrace leave me breathless. He lightly bites my lower lip, before ending the kiss.

Taking in a deep breath, our eyes meet again. That was… good. Lucio’s hands start stroking my back.

“Wanna go back to the inn, to be properly warmed up?” The lust in his gaze can be seen even in this barely lit bridge.

Chilliness starts creeping under my skin again. That does sound tempting. My hands slide to his chest. I’m still in disbelief by how solid his figure is.

“Hmmm…” I eye his provocative lips now formed into a smirk. Then I return my gaze. “I had a lovely time, Lucio. But I gotta go home.”

The smirk is replaced by a brief pout, followed by a short sigh. Then he nods, “Let’s go to the coach.”

With my arm looped around his, we stroll back to the inn in silence.

***

After a short ride home, the coach stops in front of Rowdy Raven. This time we’re sitting on the same seat, with our sides touching. Lucio turns to me.

“When can I see you again?” He asks with a low voice.

Trying to contain a cheerful grin invoked by the question, I answer, “I think I’ll have some free time in two days.”

A horse outside huffs. The inside of the coach is now cold too, not helping the chill go away.

“Okay, I’ll come up with something. I’ll pick you up at the same place at the same time. Is that okay?”

I smile and nod, trying not to look too eager.

Shifting in his seat, his arm slides up mine before stopping behind my neck. His face moves forward, before closing the distance between our lips. He’s kissing me hard, and I’m kissing him harder. My hand reaches the back of his head, running my fingers through his soft, slicked back hair before grabbing it in my fist. Grinning into the kiss, he sucks my lower lip and grabs my waist with both hands. As our tongues swirl around, his left hand slides towards my hip and continuing to grab my thigh. The firm grip sends tingles through my whole body. I let out a small gasp. Then the hand moves to the back of my knee, putting both my legs over his lap. His golden hand caresses the side of my thigh, from the knee all the way to the side of my butt cheek. The motion slowly brings up my satin dress almost all the way up, covering only the most important parts. His hand feels surprisingly warm on my exposed skin, and even with the hardness of the metal, it’s pleasant, making me more aroused with each stroke. His hand suddenly slips under my dress, squeezing the side of the cheek. His wet lips part from mine and make a trail of hot breath smooches from my jaw to the side of my neck. It sends shiver through my whole body. Lucio’s mouth moves to the spot between my neck and collarbone. A small moan escapes my lips. He lightly sucks the sensitive skin. My grip on his hair tightens.

Suddenly I become aware of how wet my underwear is. I need to stop this, before it goes all the way. “Lucio… I need to go. ” My voice comes out as a breathy whisper.

He pulls away, meeting my eyes. “But we were just getting started.” He teases, although I can see he’s slightly disappointed.

Sitting up properly and pulling down my dress, I take a deep breath, “I’ll see you in two days.”

With a sigh, he props himself up, “Alright.” leaning in to give me one last smooch on the lips, “Good night, Mia.”

“Good night, Lucio.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this one!  
> This one was very fun to write, although the first kiss scene took me *three days*.   
> ***  
> Follow me on Instagram to see CG's of Pomegranate Juice!  
> @miss__lemon___


	4. Rose Bud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 is finally here!  
> Hope you have fun reading it and feel free to write some feedback!

“… and I went back home.” I finally finish describing the first date.

Asra chuckles, “Well… honestly, I was expecting him to try to convince you into sleeping with him.” He stretches on my sofa with Faust snoozing next to him on the backrest. “I guess he doesn’t behave as obnoxious with someone he likes.”

I stop drinking my tea mid sip, “You think he likes me?”

He gives me a puzzled look. “I mean, if he didn’t he wouldn’t go through all that trouble for a date with you.”

I consider it for a second then shrug. “I guess.” Sipping the last sip of tea, I stand up from my pillow corner to sit next to him on the sofa. “So, what’s new with you?”

“Absolutely nothing.”

“Are you going on some kind of a trip soon?”

“Nope.”

The answer surprises me. “Really? It’s been months since you last traveled.”

He shrugs, “I don’t know. If Portia gets some free time, maybe we’ll go somewhere.”

Stifling back a yawn, I smile, “Aww, look who doesn’t want to travel alone anymore.”

He chuckles, “Well, we don’t get much time together anyway.”

“Yeah. Is she gonna try to find another job?”

He shakes his head, “Not for now. She loves it there and gets along with everyone.”

“That’s good. Then, you could take a short trip to Nopal when you know she’ll be busy.” Grinning, I add, “I can accompany you if you don’t wanna go alone.”

Shifting in his seat, it takes him a moment to respond. “Well, I don’t know…”

Jokingly I slap his shoulder, “I was just kidding. It would be weird if you went on a trip with me, and not your girlfriend.”

Putting his hand on the smacked shoulder, he titters. “Oh, right!”

Grabbing our empty teacups, I walk to the kitchen. A heavy sigh escapes my lips.

When I come back to the living room, Faust is awake and Asra is putting on his coat.

“Already going?”

“Yeah. I have to practice back home, but I wanted to stop by first.” He explains while letting Faust in his bag.

“Oooh! What’re you up to?”

“Well, I want to start entering the Magician’s realm. My parents could always get me through, but I never entered by myself.”

“So you’re finally doing it. By the way, did you talk to them recently?”

Smiling fondly, he nods, “Yes. We’ve talked a few days ago, before the Masquerade. I’ll have to contact them soon, to spread the word about you and the Count.”

“No, please don’t!” He mischievously laughs, “They’ll lose all respect for me!” I add giggling, knowing that he’s just teasing.

He approaches to give me a quick hug and a kiss before leaving.

“I’ll try to stop by the Raven tomorrow, before your hot date.” Grinning, he opens the front doors.

I chuckle, “Okay, I’ll see you then. And be careful with your practicing!”

“Don’t worry, sweetie!” He smiles and leaves.

As I sit back on the sofa, I glance at the clock on the wall behind me. No way! We’ve hung out for three hours? No wonder I was starting to feel sleepy. Well, time to pamper myself before bed.

***

Waking up well rested, I stretch my limbs. My first thought is the date with the Count. Delighted about the fact that it’s tonight, I small smile crosses my still-asleep face. I glance at the clock on my nightstand, while getting out of the bed. It’s ten o’clock? How? Is the clock working? I lean in and the moving clock hand shows me that it is working. Oh well. At least I’m not late for anything. I start making my bed. Actually, should I change my sheets? Just in case… nah, it’s too early to invite him to my place. But, I’ll change them. You can never be too prepared.

After taking a quick bath and doing my morning skincare, I hop downstairs to make myself breakfast and hot coffee. Opening up the window curtains, the strong sunrays illuminate my house. I stand in front of a window to soak up the warm light, and then I go to my tiny kitchen. Before I start preparing breakfast, I step to the stove to check if the salamander is awake. I open the furnace.

“Hi, baby!”

I’m greeted with an adorable squeak. Knowing what to do, he starts the fire.

Finishing my breakfast, I grab the coffee cup. Cupping it with both hands, I stare at the dark liquid, focusing my magic to communicate. The black surface doesn’t change, only reflecting my fixed stare. I’m still not good enough at magic for that, I guess. Sighing heavily, I start sipping, savoring the bitter, sharp flavor.

***

Locking the entrance doors behind me, I head towards the City Centre. At this part of the day, the temperature starts to rise, making me sweat on my neck and back, even though I just stepped out of the house. The streets are busy, as always, however, I notice more stares from people passing by. Maybe it’s my imagination. Suddenly, a sharp sensation slices through my belly. The date. The word about me riding in a royal coach must’ve spread around. Great. I completely forgot how nosy my neighbors could be. I pick up my walking speed, to avoid curious and judgmental stares, only casually nodding and smiling at acquaintances.

The tension releases when I enter the City Centre, and I start strolling towards the Market. As I window-shop around filled stalls, I remember that I haven’t visited Mr. Esposito in a while. Deciding to make a short stop at the bakery, I contemplate whether I should ask him if there are any rumors about me. Better yet, _what are_ the rumors. 

After fetching the baked goods and chatting a little with Muriel’s father, I exit the bakery. Just as I open the door, I bump into a shorter person, with wild hair. When we part, I look down.

“Sorr -… Portia!”

Her expression changes from confusion to surprise, “Hey, Mia!”

“What are you doing here, so late at the market?”

“Well, I realized that I’m pretty much free the whole morning. So I decided to stop by for some pastries at this bakery, you and Asra love so much, to surprise him for a change.”

“Oh, that’s so cute!”

She giggles, “I know! Are you too going to his house?” Pointing at the canvas bag I’m carrying.

Reflexively I look at it, “No, that’s for somebody else.”

“Oh. Well, you should join me, if you can.”

I shake my head, “No, I have some things to do, and then I gotta go to work.” I answer, slowly stepping away.

“Alright, I’ll catch up with you later.” Giving me a wink, she opens the bakery door and enters.

Relieved that I don’t have to chit chat, I briskly walk away, towards the South End market.

***

Julian strides down the palace halls, knowing the way towards most of the rooms.

He passes through the open door, stepping into the veranda.

“Hello, Nadia.”

“Hello, Julian. Have a seat.” Nadia greets him, sitting at the white round table while reading a book. She gestures him to join her.

Julian makes himself comfortable on the chair next to hers.

He studies her expression, “I don’t mean to be rude, Nadia, but I don’t like the look on your beautiful face.”

Resting her elbow on the table, she gazes at the garden backing in the sun before her. “That is why I requested you visit. My headaches are back. And without exaggerating, they’re worse than ever. At this moment, my head is pounding.” Her gaze suddenly turns to him. “Oh my, I haven’t offered you anything! Do you want something to drink or eat?”

He smiles at the ever so considerate Countess. “I’m good, thank you”.

“Do let me know if you change your mind.” She leans back in her chair, her hand massaging her temples.

Julian only nods, waiting for Nadia to continue.

She sighs, returning her gaze to the garden. “It takes me a while to relax before falling asleep. The pain seems to arrive after I wake up, worsening throughout the day.”

“I see. Are there any other symptoms, besides the headaches?” He questions, completely focused.

The restlessness comes to her mind. Her gaze lowers to the floor for a split second then returns to the garden. “Nothing else.”

“I will prescribe you some other type of herbal tea. Although, I can assure you that there is nothing to worry, Nadia. You’re perfectly healthy.” He squeezes her hand on the table and she sighs in relief.

However, his expression turns a tad more serious. “I do have one more question, and you don’t have to answer it, but is there something bothering you?”

Her crimson eyes meet his. With only a nod, she gives him the answer.

“All right.” His hands reach into one of his bag pockets, pulling out a piece of paper. “I’ll get some ink at the library, to write down the tea. What I would like you to do is to take a breather. I know you have lot responsibilities now, but you will be able to take care of them much easier, if you’re more relaxed. What is even more important, is to talk about the things that are causing you stress. Of course, only with the people that you trust.” He finishes, giving her a reassuring smile.

Absorbing every word with a focused look, she smiles back. “Thank you so much, Julian.”

“No problemo. Is there anything else that you need me for?”

“Nothing else, for now.”

“Okay. The regular check up is in two months, as scheduled, and I’ll stop by in two weeks to see if the headaches are progressing. If that is all right with you, Nadia?”

Nadia nods, “Of course it is.”

He stands up. “Oh, is Portia here?”

She shakes her head. “No, she went out to the city. She should be back before lunch.”

“Oh well, I’ll just stop by the library.”

Just as he was about to step towards the door, Nadia’s question stops him. “Would you like to stay for lunch, perhaps?”

He turns to her, pleasantly surprised. “Oh… I shall gladly accept your offer.”

***

“H-Hey!” I stutter as I approach the counter, behind it stand Mazelinka and some girl I’ve never seen before.

“Mia! This is Sonya.” Mazelinka gestures towards the blonde girl.

She politely smiles and I extend my arm to shake her hand, which she accepts. “Nice to meet you.” Ew, she has a dead-fish handshake. I hide my grimace by returning the smile.

“Nice to meet you too, Mia.” She answers in a melodic voice.

“She’s gonna be our new waitress!”

I make a pause before responding, “Oh, you haven’t mentioned anything, Mazelinka?”

“I know, I completely forgot.”

“I did convince her to hire me two days ago. It was a very short notice.”

Mazelinka nods, snacking on some dried up vegetables. “It really was. But, good news, you have a day off!” Mazelinka warmly smiles.

I pause for a moment, “Wh – really?”

“Yes. Here’s the schedule for the rest of the month.” She reaches in her apron’s pocket and hands me a piece of paper.

Glancing at it, a major change immediately catches my eye. “There’s gonna be two workers on the weekends?”

“Correct.”

“That’s a relief.” I put the paper into my bag and turn towards the doors. “Well, I’m off then. I’ll see you when I see you, Mazelinka. And it was nice to meet you, Sonya.”

“You too!”

Both of them give me a short wave.

Now what? Guess I’ll have to wait in front of the Raven for Lucio to pick me up. Hopefully, the new girl won’t notice me.

***

I’ve been lounging on my sofa for an hour now, not knowing what to do with this unexpected free time. Should I read a book? Should I stop by Asra’s home? Maybe I could bake something, and then stop by. Sounds good.

Just as I stood up, I hear knocking on the door. Who the f-?

Curious, I open the door.

“Good day, Ms. Mia.” A tall man dressed as a royal servant gives me a small bow. “I am here to inform you that you have been invited by the Countess to visit the Palace.”

For the second time today, I am stunned. “Um, did she say when?”

“Yes, today. If you are free, of course.”

I try to come up with a decision as fast as possible. I do have a few hours before meeting with Lucio, so maybe I could accept. The Palace is big enough so we don’t bump into each other. Besides, it would be rude to avoid the Countess’ invite just because _I’m having an affair with her husband._

“Actually, I am free now. Let me just grab my jacket and bag.”

This day is full of surprises.

***

“Mia! How lovely to see you again. Please, sit and make yourself comfortable.” Nadia warmly greets me and gestures to the sofa next to her as I enter the living room.

“Lovely to see you too, Nadia. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“First of all, I would like to thank you for coming. I apologize for inviting you so out of the blue.”

“Oh, please. There’s no need to apologize. I would be a fool to turn down your invite when I have free time.” Okay, now I’m sounding like a suck-up. Keep it casual.

She smiles. “The reason why you’re here is mainly business related. But before we start, would you like something to drink?”

“Just water is fine.”

She raises a questioning eyebrow, before sending off the servant who walked me to the living room.

“I have just realized that it’s almost dinner time. Would you like to join me, when we finish?”

Oh, that is very risky. “Um… I eat my dinner kinda late, so I might have to refuse.”

“I am not letting you leave this place with just a glass of water. I insist. I will tell the servants to serve the dinner later.”

My ass is starting to sweat. “Okay, if you insist. But it can be served at your usual time.” I’ll just come up with an excuse to storm off after the dinner, otherwise I’ll be late for the date.

“Very good.”

The servant comes back with a jug of water and a glass, putting them on the table between us.

Nadia excuses him before turning to me. “I don’t know if you have heard, but there will be an arena match in exactly a month from now.”

I nod, “Yeah, Muriel told me.”

“Muriel?”

“Oh, I thought you knew his name. He’s our gladiator, and my good friend.”

“What a coincidence. I apologize for my ignorance, but I don’t remember the last time I attended those fights.”

“Really? Do you not like them?”

“To be quite honest, no. I see no pleasure in watching men slicing each other.”

“Oh… Everybody that I know enjoys them, including me. Nobody gets seriously hurt, and Asra and I always tend to their wounds afterwards.”

Nadia nods, stroking her chin with her index finger.

I continue, “Maybe you never watched Muriel. Not to sound biased, but he’s the best in his category.”

“Well then, I could make an exception.”

“Most definitely.”

“Anyway, since the opponent is from my home country Prakra, my family is coming to visit as well. There will be a party thrown after the match, where I was hoping you would perform.”

I can’t hold back my excited gasp. “Of course!”

Her lips form a content smile. “Perhaps, you could invite your friend Muriel.”

I take a second before answering. “I will, but I don’t think he’s gonna come. He doesn’t like big parties and…” I lean in, continuing with a lower voice. “He doesn’t like Lucio.”

She nods, unfazed, “I see.”

“But, you’re more than welcome to attend our humble party that we throw at Rowdy Raven after his matches.”

“Hm… I will try to stop by.”

***

After having a scrumptious dinner with the Countess, I come up with an excuse to leave early.

“Thank you for inviting me to dinner. It was del –“

The dining room door opening interrupts my excuse. Portia peeks in.

“Excuse me if I’m interrupting, Milady. I just wanted to check if Mia is still here.”

“Portia! Come inside.”

A big relieved smile crosses my face at the sight of Portia, “Hi! Did you need me for something? I was just finishing up.”

“I wanted to see if you could hang out with me for a bit. But, I don’t want to interrupt… ”

“We were just finishing up. Actually, you could give Mia a tour around the Palace.” Nadia turns to me, “You had a chance to see only few rooms.”

Well, that’s gonna be time consuming, “Um, I’ve seen – “

“That’s a great idea, Milady! We can start right now, I’ve you’re done!”

I glance at Nadia, and she nods “I’ll see you next week.”

“Thank you, Nadia. Have a great evening!”

Portia and I leave the dining room.

“Let me give you a little tour of the library. I know you’re gonna enjoy it!”

“Okay, let’s do that… do you know what time is it, though?”

“Um… around eight? Yeah, it’s past eight.”

Fuck! It’s getting really late.

“Are you in a hurry?”

“No, I just don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’re practically a regular guest here.” She reassuringly squeezes my shoulder. “To be honest, I don’t have much time to show you around. I can only show you a room or two.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to show me around at all. We can do that some other time!”

“I mean, I was about to go feed Mercedes and Melchior, and I wanted to see if you would join me.”

“Who’s that?”

“They’re Lucio’s dogs! Those two are always roaming around.”

“Oh! I think I’ve seen them at the Masquerade. The tall white ones?”

“Exactly! Let’s go grab their food first.”

***

Apparently, royal dogs eat cake. Chamomile cake. We’re going towards the bottom of some stairs. As if they smelled the refreshing sweet scent, two long legged furballs rush down the stairs.

Portia hands me one of the plates. “They don’t enjoy meeting new people, but Melchior is slightly friendlier towards women.”

“Which one is Melchior?”

“The one with the chipped ear.”

I take the plate and cautiously approach the dog. His ruby red eyes curiously study me for a moment before he starts wagging his tail. Without hesitation, Melchior approaches the plate that I put down in front of him.

“That was easy. Although, maybe you shouldn’t pet him yet.”

With loud footsteps, a person makes their way down.

“Maybe next time.” I shrug, resisting the urge to pet the pampered fur.

“Portia, you shou – Mia!” I hear a familiar voice calling out my name.

I look up to its source, “Lu – My Count!”

“What a nice surprise, what are you doing here?” I’m surprised by his formal voice and mannerism.

“Oh, I was invited by the Countess for a short visit, and now Portia is getting me acquainted with your beautiful dogs.”

“They _are_ beautiful.” He squats down to pet them. The sight of him with his dogs involuntarily melts my heart. 

“Did you need me for something, sir?”

“Oh, nothing really. I can show Mia around, you can continue with whatever you have.” He stands back up.

“Um, Mia was about to leave.”

“No, it’s alright. I wanted to discuss the upcoming performance with the Count.”

Confused, she glances at Lucio and me, before shrugging, “Okay. See you later!”

She picks up the licked clean plates and walks away. Both Lucio and I are waiting for her to leave the earshot. Then he turns to me.

He comes close and wraps one arm around my waist before giving me a deep kiss.

I grab his shoulders, “That’s a risky game you’re playing.”

“I know.” He kisses me once more, “You’ve been on my mind constantly.” He whispers.

“Oh, is that so?” Lucio’s lips plant hot breathed smooches on the crook of my neck, almost making my knees weak. “Lucio, somebody could catch us.”

He pulls away, his arm only lingering on my waist. “Alright. We could take this upstairs.” His lips form a mischievous grin.

The response make me chuckle, “What about our date?”

“We could do that later?”

“Hmm, I don’t know about that. Maybe we should meet up as planned.” I tease, slowly stepping away.

“No, wait!” He firmly grabs my hand. “We can go now, and wait for the dinner to be made.”

“Okay, where’s that?”

“My friend’s house. He’s on vacation, which leaves the house for us only.” He winks.

“That sounds nice.”

Our heads instinctively turn toward the sound of rushed footsteps. Just as I started stepping away again, Lucio stops me the same way.

“We’re good.” He reassures me, with a small nod.

Unfamiliar servant speedily proceeds towards us.

“Sir, I have some bad news.” The huffed servant notifies Lucio when he reaches the earshot.

“What? What is it?” Lucio asks already frowning.

“Sir Schmidt is back early from his vacation.”

“Are you kidding me?” Lucio shrieks in disbelief.

“I’m afraid not.”

“Why? He was supposed to be back next week!”

“I know. I did not ask any questions. However, he informed me that you are more than welcome to join him for dinner, as you always are.”

Lucio now lowers his voice, “You didn’t say anything about Mia?”

“No, I have not, sir.” He gives me a small bow, “I am Elias, pleased to meet you.”

“Pleased to meet you too.” I reflexively give him a small bow as well.

“He’s my right hand.” Lucio says as a by-the-way. “Well, what now?”

“I can arrange dinner for the two of you here, full privacy guaranteed.”

Lucio turns to me, “What do you think?”

“Um, what about Nadia?”

“Don’t worry about her, she’s always in her bedroom after nine.”

I eye both of them, “Well, if both of you are so sure, then okay.”

***

As promised, Lucio and I were dinning completely alone, with only Elias serving us meals.

We are sipping on flavorful red wine, leisurely sitting at the cleaned up dining table. We spent the dinner discussing how this weird day went by, Lucio describing how awesome his friend’s house is and how he wanted us to swim in its “huge as fuck” pool.

“I forgot to ask, was there a particular reason why Nadia invited you?” Lucio asks, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

“There was, actually. We discussed the party performance after the upcoming arena match.”

“With Muriel? Yeah, can’t wait for that one.”

“Were you the one who invited the opponent?”

“Me? No, I’m not really in charge of the gladiator arena. I only gave my approval.”

I nod, “Also, we arranged a schedule, where I’ll be coming over every week for a massage session.”

“You know how to give massages?” He asks, admiration in his voice. I nod, “Wow. I’ll need you to give me one as well after a long day of hunting.”

I smile, “Maybe I will.”

“Wait, so you’ll be in the Palace once a week?”

“Yes, and if we bump into each other, we’ll only formally greet.”

“Hmm.” He eyes me for a brief moment, “Well, we can’t sit here all night. Wanna go to my wing? It’s the only place where no servants are around at this time.”

I finish my glass before responding, “I could take a look.”

***

After Elias cautiously escorted us to the wing, I’m standing in a hallway, admiring one of many Lucio’s portraits. In this particular painting, he’s lounging on a chaise lounge, wearing nothing but ruby red drapery. He’s surrounded by all kinds of fruits, while holding a dripping pomegranate in his left hand.

”So far, I like this one the most.”

He comes up behind me to see which one, “Oh, that one. It’s kinda boring.” His arms wrap around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder, “But I can order a portrait of you in that setting.” His hand brushes my hair away, exposing my neck skin. He plants soft, butterfly kisses on the thin skin, creating goosebumps all over that side of my body.

“You know, I have a favorite one hung in my bedroom.” He whispers in my ear.

“In your bedroom?” I flirtatiously ask, resting my hands on top of his.

“Mhmm.”

I realize that I’m cornered. His patience is certainly running out, and I think that this time rejection is gonna do more harm than good… and I don’t feel like resisting him tonight.

I turn to face him, “Why don’t you show it to me?”

With a hunky smirk, he takes my hand to guide me towards the bedroom.

Lucio opens heavy black and gold doors and leads me into the big, ornate bedroom. The favorite painting immediately catches my eye, as it’s taking up nearly the whole wall right in front of me. A fireplace in the middle of the bedroom is the only light source, so I have to walk inside to get a closer look, stepping around the bed that’s in the way.

“I can see why it’s your favorite.” His proud, victorious figure is standing on top of bones of some creature. It’s more than obvious that the painter made him more glamorous and handsome. I turn to Lucio, standing beside me, admiring the painting as well. He is still hot as hell in real life.

Finally peeling off his gaze off the artwork, he steps towards me, no words, and pulls me by the waist into a breathtaking kiss. Surprised by the sudden movement, it takes me a second before I burry my hands in his slicked back hair. His hands go down from my waist to grope my butt, the motion pressing me against his stiff crotch. With one hand still squeezing my ass cheek, the other one travels up to fondle my breast. A small whimper escapes my lips when his thumb starts playing with my nipple over the thin fabric, sending tingles through my whole body. He pulls away from the kiss to take the jacket off my shoulders, that was covering my backless satin dress, and I work my way speedily unbuttoning his shirt. As the shirt found it’s place on the floor, I only have a moment to admire his broad shoulders and defined torso, before he grabs the thin dress straps and pulls them completely down, leaving me in only my panties, thigh high stockings and high heels.

His lips form a smirk, “Look at you.” With unyielding strength, he lifts me up and lowers me on his giant bed. He stands up only to pull down his pants, adoring my almost naked figure while doing so. Now with only briefs covering him, Lucio lies on top of me, our lips locking with exposed torsos pressed together. His hand caresses my breast, while he lustfully grinds his hard dick on my already wet underwear. The grinding makes me almost unbearably aroused, making my hips move matching his rhythm. Our mouths part, creating a trail of saliva and our eyes meet studying each other’s expressions in this barely lit bedroom.

He stops the stimulating movement to sit up on his knees, “I can’t wait anymore.” His voice deep, almost insistent. My panties are removed the same second, exposing my soaking wet pussy. Pulling down his own underwear, his golden hand grabs his dick and positions its length against my lips, coating it with my juices. I can feel that it’s not the longest, but is definitely on the thicker side. I prop myself up on elbows to watch his dick slide between my lips, grazing against my clit. The rubbing lasts barely a minute before my patience runs out, so I use my hand to guide him towards my dripping opening.

Lucio gives me a seductive grin, before shifting his focus to his tip entering me. He adds more length with each stroke, sliding in effortlessly, accompanied by my heavy breathing. Finally, he puts in his whole length, a gasp leaving both of our lips. As he starts slowly stroking, I get adjusted to his shape. I’m in disbelief by how good his dick feels inside of me, so good that I had to grab onto his hips, demanding more. He lowers himself back down on top of me, starting to thrust so eagerly that the sounds of wetness and pounding almost overpower my moaning.

Holding himself up with one hand, he uses other one to grab my chin, sucking in my bottom lip. Grabbing a fistful of his messy hair, I pull him into a short wet kiss. Our lips part, the distance allowing us to gaze at each other’s features. The warm light of the fireplace illuminates his handsome face; thick brows twisted in a frown, heated breaths leaving his parted lips. The sensation of his throbbing dick sliding in and out of me makes my cheeks burn and my nipples hard. I lick my fingers and start playing with both of my nipples, staring at Lucio’s piercing silver eyes the whole time.

“Fuck.” He grunts, grabbing my hips and he starts thrusting deeper and faster, sending electrifying sensations through my whole body. My hand travels from my nipple to the clit, where I start rubbing it in an attempt to cum. Lucio bites his lower lip while watching me play with myself. He grabs my left ankle and flips it over to the other side, so that my legs are closed and bent together. This position makes my pussy grip tighter around his shaft making me moan louder and rub my clitoris harder. His hand firmly squeezes my ass cheek and then smacks it, provoking me even more. Lucio starts grunting, thrusting even harder and I can feel his dick pulse inside of me. Sensing his release, I clamp my legs tighter.

A few strokes in, Lucio frowns and grits his teeth, tensing his whole body. He quivers and relaxes next, followed by jagged breathing. His dick now slowly strokes in and out, letting his cum stream out. Our breaths becoming regular, he pulls out and slumps onto the bed.

His head turns to me, hair in disarray, with droplets of sweat around his hairline, “Did you cum?” 

I frown, replaying the question in my head, checking if I heard it right. I turn to him, “Um, no?”

He nods, “I figured. You’re the first one that didn’t manage.” Propping himself up, the back of his hand grazes my upper arm, “I guess you need a little more work.”

“Wait, so you’re saying that e _very single one_ orgasmed with penetration only?”

Now it’s his turn to frown in confusion, “Yes?”

I squint skeptically, “Even… Nadia?”

He nods with the same confused expression. Then it dawns on me. He’s the Count. And a very egoistical man. They probably faked it to inflate his enormous ego. I’m not so sure about the women before he became nobility, but the women that he dated after had a reason to fake it. Either that or he’s lying.

My features soften, and I only smile at him. “I guess I do need more work.” Before he can answer, I sit up, the wetness under me creating discomfort. “Where can I clean up?”

Lucio points at the door standing in one of the dark corners of the room, “There’s the closest bathroom.”

***

After freshening up and cleaning up the sticky mess on the velvet covers, I put my outfit back on. Lucio put back on only his underwear.

“So, how am I gonna sneak out?”

”Yeah, about that. I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

I blink, “What?”

He lazily stretches on the bed, “Elias advised that it would be smarter if you sneaked out in the morning, than in the middle of the night, since everything is quiet, blah blah. Long story short, you’ll be spending the night here and he will sneak you out in the morning.”

Slipping under the covers, with a smirk on his sleepy face he lifts up them up, inviting me to join him.

This is, so far, the most random day ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can follow me on Instagram to see CGs of this story. @miss__lemon___


	5. Warmth

After spending fresh morning hours practicing in the forest, Muriel submerges his sore body, covered in sweat into a floral scented bath water. He usually bathes in the public bath around this time, before noon, since he knows there are very few people around. There is a large pool in the middle where most people would hang out, and much smaller pools placed around it. He always chooses to bathe in a small pool, by himself. Since people of Vesuvia considered him a celebrity, although very much intimidating, they would never dare disturb his peace.

The silence, warm water and bath salts would always melt away the soreness in his muscles. He takes in a deep breath. Studying his battle scars, some deep questions start swirling around – how much longer does he want to be a gladiator?

A sight of a feminine figure walking towards the main pool interrupts his brooding. Although, to Muriel it seems like she is floating with her long, wavy, strawberry blonde hair that glistens under the bright sunrays coming through the sunroof. As she removes her towel to step into the water, he could not peel his eyes away from her curvy figure, especially her perky breasts. The stiffening of his shaft snaps him back to reality, embarrassed for staring at the woman for so long. Averting his gaze, he tries to calm himself before he can get out. Now a raging boner, it was a friendly reminder of how long it has been since he had been with a woman.

His eyes travel back to the woman, where they meet a curious gaze of tangerine colored, doe eyes. Reflexively, he looks away, ears and cheeks burning. He takes in a deep breath in an attempt to relax, focusing on something else. Ah, yes, the gladiator career. No opponent stood a chance against him for at least a year and he feels like there are no more challenges for him in that field. Has she ever seen his fights? Forest green eyes glance at the bathing woman, yet again. She is chatting with nearby people, where he makes out the tone of her confident, pleasant voice. As if feeling eyes on her, she glances at him and gives him a small smile, before returning to conversation.

Flustered over his teenage-like behavior, Muriel steps out of the pool, covering himself of course, and leaves.

***

“Lucio, do you plan on getting up?” A familiar voice wakes the Count from sweet slumber.

He groans with annoyance, “What? What do you want?”

“Don’t give me that attitude. Come on, time to get up.” Elias steps into the bedroom to open up the curtains. “You have stuff to do.”

Frowning because of the sudden brightness in the room, Lucio reluctantly sits up. “What stuff?”

“Well, you have a short meeting with Valerius to verify some things, and then Schmidt invited you to have a drink later, but I can cancel that if you’re not in the mood.”

“Of course I’m in the mood to hang out with Schmidt, but can you delay that meeting with Valerius?”

“I’m afraid not. You postponed it two times already.”

Lucio scoffs.

“Why, what’s up with you two?”

“Nothing just got bored of him.”

“Oh… Thank God.”

Lucio snickers, “You don’t like him?”

“Please, he acts all almighty, but never lifts a finger to actually do something… I can’t postpone the meeting, though.”

“Fine...”

“Okay, I’ll leave you alone now, and we can chat after the meeting.” Elias says, as he starts making the bed.

Lucio only nods, heading towards the bathroom.

***

Lucio joins Nadia and Valerius at the small meeting room.

“Why hello, Lucio.” Consul greets him across the table.

The Count only nods in recognition.

“I don’t think there is any need for such an attitude. I have no recollection of offending you in any kind of way.” Valerius says with a honeyed voice.

Lucio only rolls his eyes, “Let’s just get this meeting over with.”

“If you insist.” Valerius slides dozen of papers across the table. “Here are all the law cases handled in the past two months. None of the criminals are for hanging, only for serving a short time in prison.”

Nadia grazes over the scribbled papers, “You’re putting a fifteen year old in prison for stealing some fruits?”

Consul takes a look at the case, “Unfortunately, yes. Those good-for-nothing South Enders need to learn how to behave. He’s old enough to know that stealing is punishable by law.”

She sighs heavily. “These are fine by me.”

Lucio barely looks at them, “Yeah…” He speedily signs all of them and hands them back to Valerius. “Here, meeting adjourned, bye.”

Nadia and Valerius exchange annoyed looks, before standing up from the table as well.

Elias was waiting outside the door. He gives a small bow to Nadia and Valerius before approaching Lucio. “That was short.” He comments under his chin.

Lucio snickers, “Longer than I’d like it to be.” His eyes follow Nadia and Valerius, making sure that they are far enough. “Let’s go to the garden.”

The two of them nonchalantly walk outside, casually striding through the greenery, away from the gardeners.

“What’s up?” Elias asks in a hushed voice.

“Mia should get off work around ten tonight. I want you to give her a ride here.”

“Oh? I guess last night went well.”

Lucio cannot help but grin at the thought of her naked body, “You wouldn’t believe.”

His expression makes Elias chuckle, “You old horndog. Okay, I’ll sneak her in.”

“And before I go to Schmidt’s, I want you to go with me to the Red Street and help me pick out a present for her.”

Elias could _feel_ a vein on his temple pop just at the thought of going shopping with his friend. His role would always turn to stopping Lucio from spending half of his fortune on stuff he does not need. If Lucio were to go by himself, he would end up getting everything on the market except the gift.

He nods, “Yeah, sure.”

***

I decided to stop by Julian’s place, before I go to work. I knock on his front door.

The doors open immediately, “Hey, Mia!”

“You have some free time?”

“Yes, I just got back from the rehearsal.” He steps aside to let me in.

“The play? How’s that going?” I ask as I walk inside.

“It’s still rough around the edges, but it’ll be good in two months.”

“Well, I’m very eager to see you act.”

He leads me into the living room, where I hand him the small basket of pistachio baklava. “Here, this is for you.”

Pleasantly surprised, he peeks in, “Oh my! What’s this for?”

“A small gift as a thank you for recommending me to Nadia.” I make myself comfortable on his cushion-covered sofa.

“Well, of course I would recommend you!” He places the basket on the end table, and joins me on the sofa, “You give the best massages after all.”

I recognize that tone in his voice. “I’m very flattered, Julian.”

We gaze at each other, before he decides to scoot a little closer, “So, how’s it going with Lucenzo?”

“Luce -, oh!” I snort at the goofy nickname, “It’s going good so far.”

“Mhmm.” As his only response, his eyes study my face, and then move onto my figure.

“What?” I ask, even though I can assume what’s on his mind.

“Do you remember that night you tried rum for the first time?”

_Mhmm_. “Barely, but go on.”

He smirks, “We could repeat that some time soon.”

“Hm. I’m not so sure.”

He lifts his eyebrows, “Why is that?”

“Well, I’m seeing Lucio.”

“But isn’t that relationship purely physical?”

“Yes. But I thought you wanted to settle down, at least that’s what you had told me.”

“Okay, if he can satisfy you, I don’t want to interfere.” He scoots away.

“Could you give me a glass of water?” I ask in an attempt to avert the topic.

“Coming right up.”

After emptying the whole glass in one go, with Julian leisurely sitting beside me, he continues with questions, “So, are you telling me, as long as you’re with him, you and I can’t do anything?”

“It’s not about him, it’s about us finally moving on.”

He chuckles, “We’ve moved on. But we like to reminisce every once in a while.”

I have to laugh, “Julian, that’s more than just reminiscing.”

He studies me with that disarming smolder, “Fine. I don’t want to push you.”

This silly tug of war makes me chuckle. “From now on, you and I are just friends, nothing else.”

Julian nods and gives me a small smile. “Whatever you say, Mia.”

***

Feeling the tiredness catching up to him, his mouth opens with a big yawn, small tears forming in the corners of his eyes. After spending the whole afternoon shopping, setting up the private dinner, then noting the servants not to disturb, he’s now on his way to give a lift to Lucio’s new lover. It was much easier for him when the Count was having an affair with Valerius.

Elias exits the coach cabin as he arrives. Stifling another yawn, he enters the silent tavern.

Looking around, there seem to be no patrons, only Mia cleaning up the tables. She turns towards the door, confused at the sight of an unexpected guest.

“Elias?” She asks.

He gives her a small bow. “Mia. I was sent on Count Lucio’s behalf. You are invited to dine at the Palace.”

Her brows furrow even further, “I don’t remember making any plans with him?”

“You did not. However, I was ordered to invite you. Unless you absolutely cannot accept.”

Her eyes look around the wiped clean tavern. “I just need to finish up with the cleaning, and I can go.”

He nods, “Great! Let me help you with that.”

Stunned by Elias’ helping hand, she finally responds, “Thank you, but you really don’t ha – “

Elias scoffs, “I insist. Besides, it will be finished much faster.”

She can’t help but smile, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, let’s see, what to do.”

It took them only ten minutes to finish everything, and now they are on their way to the Palace.

Elias makes great effort to keep his heavy lidded eyes open, when he notices Mia fidgeting in her seat.

“Are you feeling well, Mia?”

She answers after a short pause, “Yeah, yeah. Just a little thrown off by this.”

“Why is that? Did you have other plans?”

“No… I just look like shit.”

That statement takes Elias aback. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

He snorts loudly in an attempt to stifle a laugh. “I can assure you that you look good.” His eyes wander over her figure; he could never tell that she just finished a shift at the tavern. “I mean it.”

Her cheeks turn rose pink at the comment. “Well, thank you.”

They comfortably share silence, Elias’ lime green eyes blinking slowly, before Mia turns to him. “So, Elias, how long have you known Lucio?”

Mildly surprised by the interest in chatting, his focus shifts from his tiredness, “Hm. I am not sure. I have known him since before he became the Count.”

“Really? What was he doing back then?”

“You didn’t know? He was a mercenary for the previous Count. We both were, actually.”

_That would explain the scar across his cheek._ Just as she was about to pry even deeper, Mia decides to wait it out, even though Elias seemed around her age and laid back. Of course, she had to ask one more thing, “If so, why are you so formal with him?”

“Well, I think it’s a given when in company of other people.”

She nods, “I get it. I’m sorry if I asked too much.”

“You did not, don’t worry.”

***

To avoid as many servants as possible, Elias guided me through some kind of secret entrance outside of the palace, which somehow leads into a broom closet under the stairs of Lucio’s wing.

“Wow, I should clean this up. Please excuse the messiness, Mia.”

“It’s fine, really.”

Elias peeks through the small door. “Everything’s clear.” He confirms and lets me out first.

“Thank you, Elias.”

He smiles at me in response, “Now, Lucio should be waiting for you in the dining room. Follow me.”

I almost have to run, to catch up with his fast pace and long legs. All of a sudden, Elias abruptly stops, which makes me bump into his back with an embarrassing “oomph”. A chamberlain emerged from the closest room, coming face-to-face with us.

“Elias, my boy, why are you roaming around the halls so late?” The chamberlain then catches my figure, subtly hiding behind the tall man. He gives him a puzzled look.

“I was just guiding my cousin outside. She’ll be working here part-time, so I had to get her acquainted with the Palace.” Elias confidently lies. It’s a half truth, technically.

The mustached man apparently believes him, “In that case, welcome. I hope you have a good time here.” With a warm smile, he gives me a firm handshake.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Well, time to get going.” Elias jumps in and we casually walk away.

“Wow, your cousin? We look nothing alike.” I whisper.

He giggles, “I know. I figured it would sound more believable if I said that.”

We reach the dining room doors after walking and stifling goofy giggling.

“Finally! What took you so long?” Elias and I exchange looks at the annoyed tone in Lucio’s voice.

“Sir, I have informed you that it will take us a while to get here.”

Lucio scoffs before gesturing me to sit on the chair across him, “Mia, join me.”

Elias excuses himself out. I nod and take a seat. “So, Lucio, is there any particular reason why you sent your butler to fetch me after work, without any previous notice?”

He hands me a glass of wine with a grin, “You know why.”

My lips form a wide smile that I hide by drinking the red wine. “Okay. But we have to be more careful.”

“What do you mean?”

***

_Reading a book behind the counter, to fill in the time during the slow part of the shift, a familiar group of patrons enters the tavern. They give me a small wave as a greeting and seat themselves at one of the many free tables. After reading the rest of the page, I approach to take the order._

_“Hello, gentlemen, what’s it gonna be today?”_

_“As usual, darling, mead and ale.”_

_“Okay, be right back.” I say with a wink._

_Returning with three pints of ale and glasses of mead, I notice that they’re staring at me in a curious, somewhat weird manner, with smirks on their lips. Ignoring it, I put down the order._

_“Enjoy!”_

_“Thank you, **mistress**.”_

***

“I guess the rumors are already spreading around my neighborhood.”

“Oh, they know nothing. They can only assume and be jealous of you.”

“I know, but if they found out, the whole city would know within a day.”

“So what, everybody knows that I have lovers on the side.”

“Okay, but my reputation would be mudded.”

“Pfft, you don’t need them. You’re already working for the royalty.”

That doesn’t make me feel better one bit, but I decide to drop it for now. “Oh well, it is what it is.”

Elias serves us dinner.

“Are you free tomorrow?”

“Nah, I work on the weekends. The shift is longer then.”

“Hm, can’t you ask for a free weekend?”

“I can’t, the tavern is gonna be crowded. But, I’m free on Mondays and I have that massage appointment with Nadia.”

He smirks, “Perfect.”

Seeing his response I start to wonder how those appointments are gonna turn out. I already feel huge guilt by sneaking around the Palace right under Nadia’s nose.

In spite of the fact that the dinner was delicious as always, I didn’t eat much.

“You barely touched your food! Did you not like it?”

“No, it’s good, I’m just so tired.”

Which is true. My whole body is in this cozy mood, my eyelids are heavy and I had to stifle so many yawns while Lucio was talking.

“Is it maybe because of last night?” He asks with a grin.

I chuckle, “No, it’s mostly because of work and that early morning sneaking out.”

“Oh… I get it, it sucks that you had to sneak out so early. You know what? I’ll just tell Elias to escort you during the night instead.”

“No, the mornings are fine. We’ll just have to see each other every other day or a few times a week.”

“I don’t like that idea.” He states the same instant.

“Well, Lucio, I have a packed schedule as is.”

“Then just quit your job as a waitress and I’ll find you something here or at the Heart District.”

“That’s not an option.” Refusing to explain myself, I add with a teasing smile, “Guess you’ll have to spend those nights with other lovers.”

He gives me a puzzled look. “I don’t have other lovers?”

I blink. “You don’t?”

“No, what gave you that idea?”

“I mean, I just assumed that you had countless lovers in the city, since you have the reputation of a Count who sleeps with everybody but his wife.”

Lucio bursts out laughing, “What a reputation!”

Confused about why that is so funny, I just sit there and let him catch his breath.

Lucio takes in a deep breath and a long sip of red wine, “I used to sleep around _a lot_ , but in the past couple of years all of them became bland to me. I narrowed it down to one lover, who annoyed me to no end. We broke up…” His eyes lock with mine, “when you came along.”

Those good ol’ butterflies awaken in my stomach. So he _does_ like me. A sheepish smile spreads across my lips, tingly from wine and sleepiness.

“I have to say though, I’m not happy about this idea of barely seeing each other. I’ll hire you as a massage therapist as well. Mondays and Thursdays. That way you don’t have to sneak around so late.”

His determination to see me is invigorating. I would never expect that kind of eagerness from him. “Well, I can’t say no to that.”

***

“Be right back.” Lucio informs Mia before entering his small private bathroom.

She sits down on the soft bed. The cloud-like mattress, covered with a velvet blanket and fluffy pillows, invites Mia to lie down and rest her tired body. Which is exactly what she did the second later. The tense muscles relax as she lets out a satisfied sigh. The lit up fireplace cozies up her body, and her heavy eyelids close over her eyes. _Just for a minute and I’ll get up._

Lucio exits the bathroom with an already unbuttoned shirt and a wide grin. The grin fades the same second he sees Mia lying on his bed, sleeping soundly. His first instinct is to wake her up. However, he cannot find it in himself to interrupt her much needed sleep. After all, she tried to stifle so many yawns during dinner. His features soften and lips form a soft smile. It has been so long since he has seen someone sleeping. She looks so tender, beautiful as always. In an attempt not to wake her up, he reaches for the chest with bed sheets, since she fell asleep on top of the blanket. Covering her as gently as possible, he slips out of his clothes, only his underwear on, and slithers under the soft-like-butter blanket.

After gazing some more at Mia’s sleeping face, Lucio dozes off as well. For a reason unknown to him, he did not mind sharing a bed with somebody, after so long.

***

“Pst!”

No answer.

“Lucio.” Elias’ hushed voice wakes up the Count.

Lucio opens his eyes at the sound of his name and flinches at Elias’ bent over figure looming above him. “What the f-!”

Elias instantly puts a finger over his friend’s lips, “Don’t wake Mia up.”

Lucio continues with a whisper, “What’re you doing here?”

“Well, it’s morning, and I want to check if I’m supposed to escort Mia out?”

“Nah, maybe after breakfast.”

Elias sighs, “Risky, but okay.”

With that, not making a single sound, he leaves the bedroom and Lucio drifts off the second later.

However, Mia woke up the moment Elias entered the bedroom, but kept her eyes closed. Relieved that she does not have to sneak out right after waking up, she decides to get more sleep.

To her annoyance, she cannot fall asleep. It is early in the morning, when her body usually wakes up, no matter at what time she went to bed. Sighing heavily, she rolls around facing Lucio lying on his belly, with his head turned to her. The morning sunlight peeking through thick curtains lightly outlines his exposed back and messy platinum blond hair. His cheek is smushed by the pillow under it and deep breaths are coming through his slightly parted thin lips. That sleep frown is still there _. I could get used to this._ Realizing what went through her mind, Mia shakes her head in denial and slowly sits up. _I should go to the bathroom to get rid of this stinky morning breath._

***

Now that I was able to freshen up, I go back to the bedroom. Lucio is still asleep, only this time lying on his back with his naked torso on full display. The view makes me just stand there and appreciate the chiseled abs and muscular chest, adorned with scars that are supposedly from his mercenary days. Even his arm and neck have a couple of small, milk colored scars. That night when we had sex, I didn’t really have a chance to study his figure. Looking at it now makes me realize that his path to becoming the count was quite rocky. This is surprising to me, since I always assumed that he was a spoiled rich brat who inherited the position. He seems less like an evil asshole that got lucky and more like a hard worker who had to fight most of his life. I shake my head. Why am I getting sentimental all of a sudden? I’m here just for sex and expensive gifts. Nothing else.

I take all of my clothes off and I slowly crawl, cat-like style, towards his side of the bed. Thankfully, both his arms are behind his head so I can easily uncover him. I bite my lower lip at the sight of his morning wood outline underneath the thin bright red fabric of his underwear. Trying not to move him too much, I move the fabric low enough to free him out. Saliva starts filling my mouth as I gaze at Lucio’s dick. It’s not that long, the shaft is quite thick, especially in the middle, curved and pointing straight. Not wanting to waste any more time, I gently grab the base of his dick and slowly move it up and down to see his reaction. Nothing. Hard sleeper, I guess. My head moves down and I plant light kisses on its head. Lucio’s abdomen flexes and I hear him sucking in a long breath. While continuing to kiss and lick the head I turn to the side to look at his expression.

Visibly confused, he opens his eyes and looks down. When he catches the sight of me with my lips on his dick, the confusion shortly turns to amusement.

“Good morning to you too, Mia.” He greets me with a low, hoarse voice.

Responding with only a smug grin, I turn my full attention to his rock solid dick. I wrap the stiff head with my lips and start coating it with saliva. My tongue swirls around it once, twice, before eagerly putting in more length. With my hand stroking the rest of the shaft, I start moving my head up and down. Lucio’s breaths become shorter, his hips slowly thrusting and his left hand grabs a fistful of my hair, moving it away from my face, like a gentleman.

Feeling confident that he’s enjoying this, I begin moving my head faster and taking in more. Small moans escape Lucio’s lips and he reflexively tightens the grip on my hair. When I pull away to give my jaw a short break, he turns my head by the chin and inserts two golden fingers into my mouth. I suck on them, tasting the metal, then generously coat them with saliva, never breaking eye contact. Smirking, he pulls them out and moves towards my naked ass that was up in the air the whole time. The fingers find their way to my slit. They bury themselves between the wet lips and start stroking, making me gasp. He continues doing the same motion with a satisfied grin and I return to sucking him off. Relaxing my throat, I take him in deeper and deeper until my mouth is filled with his whole length. Lucio groans, and in response shoves in both of his fingers inside me, working them in and out. I moan with my mouth full, sending small vibrations through his shaft. I take in his full length a couple more times, his hips jerking up, before I’m stopped by his free hand.

“Don’t wanna finish like this.” Lucio murmurs, and slips out of the blanket, positioning himself behind me, straddling my legs.

He gropes my ass cheeks with both hands, and then spreads them to place his dick between the cheeks. “Your ass is so plump.” He grinds on it with his throbbing hard dick for a good minute, making me unbearably aroused, before fiercely pushing in his full length at once. Before long, he’s thrusting fast, almost ramming me, groping my butt the whole time. In this position, my g spot is stimulated, but I can’t seem to be close to an orgasm. Accepting the fact that I won’t climax again, I focus on matching the fast rhythm with my hips and turning around to watch Lucio. Unfortunately, the bright daylight isn’t shining on his naked form and I can only see his shadowy muscular torso, his bed-hair and his still-not-fully-awake eyes staring at my bottom. I was just in time to catch the finale.

He switches to deep long strokes. Squeezing my ass cheeks, he makes a growl-like sound as he pushes deep in. I feel pulsing inside of me followed by warmth filling my pussy.

When he pulls out, he playfully smacks my butt before leaning in and giving me a luscious kiss on the lips. “That’s the best way to wake me up.”

With a grin on his lips, he stands up and walks into the bathroom. I just awkwardly lie there, since I was about to go to the bathroom but he beat me to it. The door suddenly creeks open when Lucio tosses a white washcloth on the bed, then closes them again. Relieved, I grab it and wipe myself up.

***

After dressing up and having a quick breakfast in a secluded corner of the garden, near the secret passage, Lucio and I wait in our wooden chairs for Elias to show up.

Suddenly, Lucio jumps up from his seat, “Oh, I almost forgot! Be right back.” Without an explanation, he rushes through the vine-covered door, leaving me to sit there confused. So, I sit in silence with my eyes closed, enjoying the refreshing garden air and listening to little birds chirping. How nice it is to have a garden. I open my eyes at the sound of opening doors. I turn around to see Lucio carrying a… purse?

“I forgot to give you this yesterday.” He smiles and hands it to me. Excitedly I grab it with both hands to take a good look. It’s a stunning emerald green purse, with satin fabric embellished with tiny beads and crystals and a gold kiss lock top. I notice that my mouth is open the whole time.

“Thank you so much, Lucio!” I pull him into a savory kiss. He grabs me by the waist and eagerly reciprocates.

“You’re welcome. Now you finally have a purse that matches your coat.”

Too stunned by how he remembered the color of my coat and the fact that I didn’t have purse, I respond with only a nod and a smile.

Elias shows up through the door.

“Ready to drive back home?”

“Yes.”

Lucio pulls me in one short, open-mouthed kiss. Ending it with an audible smooch, he gives me a devilish grin, “See you on Monday.”

***

“Could you please tell the coachman to stop at the City Centre?”

“Need to pick up something?”

“No, but I don’t want my neighbors to see me being dropped off again.”

“Oh, right. Good thinking.”

Elias informs the coachman about the changed route then sits back in his seat across me.

“Lucio really needs to provide some clothes for you in his room if you continue having unplanned sleepovers.” He remarks with a friendly smile.

I chuckle, “I fully agree.”

We sit for the rest of the ride in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. The carriage stops near the Marketplace, which is my cue to leave.

“Well, see you Monday, Elias.” I regard as I step out.

“See ya~”

I step out into the busy square of City Centre. Confident that no one recognizes me here, I turn towards my neighborhood.

“Mia!” A familiar female voice calls out from a short distance.

Cursing my luck, I turn around to see who it is. “Oh! Hi, Sonya.” Relieved that it’s someone I’m not well acquainted with, I meet her in the middle.

“Are you heading home? I live near you. With Mazelinka, actually.”

“W – Really? Since when?”

“I think it’s been about a week. So, you’re going?” She asks pointing towards South End. I nod. “Great.”

When we squeeze out of the crowd, Sonya and I take a slow stroll towards our homes.

“So, are you Mazelinka’s family?”

“In a way, yes. I’m her partners’ niece.”

My eyes widen in surprise. “Partner? She never mentioned anything. How long have they been together?”

“Hm, at least ten years.”

Shocked at the new information, it occurs to me that Mazelinka doesn’t really talk about her private life that much, nor have I ever asked her about it. “You’re now living here or just temporarily staying?”

“I’m living here, for now. I got bored of Nevivon and wanted a little change.”

“Do you like it here so far?”

“Very much. But there’s still so much more to explore.” She giggles, more to herself, “And the men here are very handsome.”

I chuckle at the statement, “I have to agree, they really are. Did anyone catch your eye?”

“Not really. Although, I saw someone yesterday morning at the public bath, the one in the City Centre. He had a tall and strong physique with a rugged face. I was hoping that he would approach me, since we exchanged a few looks, but he left shortly after I entered.”

I think I know who she’s talking about.

“Oh and the Count isn’t half bad either.” That sentence was like a dagger to the gut. I take a deep breath, no need to react like that.

“Yeah, he’s fine.”

“Does he ever visit the Rowdy Raven?”

“I don’t think I ever saw him there.”

She shrugs. “Pity. Maybe I can meet him through Julian.”

“Julian? You’re a friend of his?”

“Childhood friend, yes. I like to think that we were matchmakers for Mazelinka and Lilinka.”

“Wait, I think I remember him telling some stories that included you.” Then I get a flashback from the Masquerade, “Were you with him at the Masquerade?”

“Yes, I got here the same day! You remember seeing me back then?”

“Yeah, I remember him having a good time with a pretty blonde.”

She gives me an honest smile, “Why, thank you. I wasn’t _with him_ that night, but we did spend almost whole night catching up. And drinking.” She adds with a grin.

I wonder if he said something about me, except that he knows the belly dancer.

“I love your purse, it’s stunning!” She exclaims gazing down at the purse.

“Thank you so much!” It comes to my attention that the purse does not match the rest of my outfit at all. We approach Mazelinka’s house. “Well, see you in a couple of hours!”

“Yes, can’t wait to continue the conversation with you!”

Happy that she’s willing to get acquainted, I continue towards my house with a sheepish smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Elias somehow became my favorite character.   
> To see CGs of this fanfiction follow me on Insta @miss__lemon___


	6. Secrets

Washing off the massage oil from my hands, I return to Nadia’s bedroom to pack up my stuff. She’s in her silky, lavender bathrobe, sitting on the massage table.

“I have to say it again, Mia, your hands are divine.”

I smile, “Thank you so much, Nadia. I’m so relieved that you enjoyed it.”

“How could I not? All the tension in my body just melted away.” She stands up and moves to the bed. “I could fall asleep right now.”

“Do drink some water and have a snack before that.” I advise as I pack up and fold up the table.

“All right, I will. Thank you, Mia.” She says in a relaxed voice. “Feel free to order some tea and cake.”

“Thank you.”

“On a second thought, do you not have an appointment with Lucio as well?”

I can feel a giant lump forming in my throat. How did she know? “Yes, I do. Although, I have to check if he’s in.”

“He should be.” Her ruby eyes study my features, like she’s reading my sinful mortal soul. The guilt grows bigger every time I go to the Palace to get railed by her husband.

I clear my throat, “I forgot to tell you, Julian wants you to visit the theater to check the screenplay with him. Since it’s gonna be a satire about the current rulership, the crew doesn’t want to get in trouble.” I change the topic with a shaky voice. Nice going, Mia. “Whenever you have free time, of course.”

“I certainly will, however I’m not sure when exactly.”

I tuck the heavy table under my armpit and stagger towards the bedroom door.

“Please put that down.” She tugs a bell pull near an end table. “Somebody will help you out with that.”

“Thank you, but it’s really not that heavy.”

“There is no way you’re lugging that table all the way to the other side of the Palace by yourself.”

I hope that a miracle happens and Elias shows up.

To my demise, it’s Portia.

“You rang, Milady?”

“Portia, assist Mia with carrying the table over to Lucio’s wing.”

“Of course, Milady.”

Without question, but with visible confusion on her face, she grabs one side of the table and together we leave the bedroom. “See you next week, Nadia!” 

“I cannot wait.”

***

“How do you like Sonya?” Portia asks as we wobble through the Palace.

“I really like her. We got to know each other last weekend, and turns out that she’s a very intriguing person.”

“She is. It seems like she calmed down as well.” She absentmindedly utters.

“Um, what do you mean?”

She shakes her head, “Nothing, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Well, now I really need to know. Is she not a good person? Is she faking it?” I hate this feeling of queasiness when my overactive imagination just vomits all kinds of wrong scenarios.

“Hm. I don’t think she’s faking being a friend. But I have heard that she slept with some of her friend’s husbands.”

“That’s nasty.” Yet here I am on my way to sleep with my friend’s husband. I guess she and I are going to be good friends. Gulping, as that lump appeared again, I shift the topic. “So, how is the Palace treating you these days?”

She scoffs, “It’s busting my ass. So many responsibilities are flooding back after the Masquerade.”

“That sucks.”

“Right. I may have a chance to visit Asra tomorrow, ‘cause I haven’t seen him for three days.”

“Visit him regardless. I’m sure Nadia would understand.”

She smiles, “I guess she would.”

We finally reach the stairs of Lucio’s wing after what felt like an hour of walking through the Palace. Momentarily I realize I don’t know what to expect when I enter the room. Is Lucio expecting me to arrive alone? What would we find behind the doors?

“I can take it from here, thank you for helping me.”

But she doesn’t let go, “Please, what’s one more flight of stairs?”

Just when I was about to start convincing her, a familiar cheerful voice descends from the stairs. “Mia, you’re here!”

“Yes, I am, Elias.” I can’t hide the relieved smile.

“Portia, I’ll take the table, thanks.” He politely says and picks the table up under his arm.

“Oh well, see ya later, Mia.” With a small wave she hurries down the hall.

When she’s far away enough I turn to Elias, “I was so relieved when you showed up. My ass was starting to sweat when we approached the stairs.”

Elias laughs and we walk up the stairs. “Don’t worry. I advised Lucio to act normal when you show up, just in case.”

Lucio is really lucky to have someone sensible like Elias on his side. “Are you gonna be on the lookout as well?”

“Unfortunately, no. I have things to tend to. But no need to worry, no one should disturb.”

We enter the room on the opposite side of the bedroom. It’s a big lounging area with a corner sofa and sitting pillows and a small bar in one corner. Beautiful leafy plants and small trees fill in the space. The walls are decorated with paintings of whom else but Lucio. Lucio is lounging on the corner sofa by the window, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.

Elias sighs, “Sir, I have told you to be decent when Mia arrives.”

Lucio blinks and looks down on his towel, “I am decent. I’m ready for the massage.” He adds winking at me.

Elias starts setting up the table on the free part of the room. “Next time you should put on a robe, just in case.” He excuses himself out of the room and closes the door behind him.

“Let’s get started Lucio.” I say as I coat my hands with the sweet almond oil.

Eagerly, he stands up and walks towards me, dramatically removing the towel from his waist, revealing his half-hard member. The sight completely takes me aback, so I just stood there with my oiled hands in the air, watching his completely naked figure come for me. With that lustful grin of his, he grabs me by the waist with both hands, locking his lips with mine in a tongue kiss. He grabs me by the back of my legs and lifts me up, wrapping them around his waist. Turning around, he places me on the edge of the table.

His hands lift my long skirt all the way up, revealing that I have no underwear on. Seeing that, Lucio bites his bottom lip, giving me an amused look, “What’s this?”

“Just a small surprise for you, Lucio.”

He sucks in a sharp breath and buries his head in the crook of my neck, kissing and sucking the thin skin, sending shivers through my whole body.

“What’s the rush?” I breathe in his ear.

“I thought about you the whole weekend.” Lucio murmurs. He kisses me behind the ear and leaves a light trail of saliva along my jaw. His astonishingly light colored eyes meet mine. “You’re the best fuck I had in a long time.”

Instead of responding I pull him into a deep kiss. My oiled up hand begins to stroke him, circling my thumb on the head, spreading the precum. Lucio lets out a hot breath, his teeth nibbling my lower lip. I stroke the thick shaft, giving it a few twists. Feeling my own arousal building up, I use my other hand to rub my clit, making my thighs twitch. After stealing a glance of what my other hand was doing, he gently pulls my face away with his hand and pushes me by the shoulders to rest my lower back on the table. Replacing my hand on his dick, he teases my opening with the tip by barely entering, then pulling out. Moving my other hand away, his hard tip gently massages the sensitive spot. Couple of circles in, he presses harder, sending tingles all over my body, a loud moan escaping my lips. Grinning, he presses his right hand over my mouth.

“It’s not nighttime Mia.” With an amused voice, he whispers.

As a response, I only nod, slightly embarrassed that I forgot that it’s still evening, meaning there are people roaming around the Palace. He frees my lips and slips his thumb into my mouth. With his dick, he starts gliding from my opening to my clit, pressing harder each time. To contain the lustful moans I close my mouth around the finger, sucking on it. Taking shaky breaths, he finally stops the teasing and enters me fully. The strokes are slow and deep, gradually turning into deeper, faster thrusts. Lucio pulls out the thumb and leans in to pull me into an open-mouthed kiss, now going even faster making the table creak.

Burying himself as deep as possible, he lifts me up from the table and carries me to the other side of the room, laying me on the edge of the sofa. Lucio grabs my legs, placing them on his shoulders and lifts up my hips, continuing the previous thrusting speed. How he took over full control, penetrating me even deeper, makes my legs shake. His breathing turns to panting and I have to put my hand over my mouth to stifle whimpers and moans. Even though both of us are holding back our voices, the sounds of loud thrusting overflow the room. The intense arousal shoots up when Lucio bends over, resting his right hand on my hip and the other on the sofa, hitting all the right spots in this angle. I squeeze his forearms, making conscious effort not to dig my nails into his skin, and grit my teeth as a feeling of release builds up.

“Fuck, I’m close.” Lucio barely utters and straightens back up, closing my legs and resting them on his left shoulder.

I close my eyes, focusing completely on the sensation of his thick dick rubbing my g-spot, and his right arm squeezing my butt cheek. Arching my back, I bite my bottom lip, tensing my whole body. Nothing. Still nothing. Lucio grunts through his teeth as his dick begins to throb, filling me up with his cum. After a couple of slow strokes, he pulls out, lowering my hips on the sofa.

“No orgasm again, huh?” He asks, catching his breath.

“Nope.” Eyeing his still hard dick, I respond.

Sitting up, letting the semen flow outside onto the sofa, I lean towards him with a mischievous grin. Licking my lips, I take his shaft with my hand, stroking him slowly.

Responding with only an amused grin, he buries his right hand into my hair. Not wasting any time, I put his whole length at once tasting both his cum and my juices, a bitter-sweet taste. With both of my hands resting on his hips, I work my head up and down, swirling my tongue around, sucking him off and letting my saliva leak down onto the floor. His hand tightens the grip, pushing my head further and faster, with his hips reflexively thrusting. Not taking a break, I suck on his full length, with his hand still moving my head. With the strong pulsing, leg muscles twitching, and Lucio’s jagged breaths as only warnings, he releases his second load deep into my mouth, making me swallow it completely.

Making sure that I drank every drop, I pull away, “Some kind of warning would’ve been nice.” I say in a teasing voice, as I wipe off the saliva from my lips with the back of my hand.

“Sorry.” Lucio mumbles, before laying flat on his stomach onto the sofa. He turns on his back, resting an arm behind his head. “I think I’ll just lie here for an hour.”

The sight of his spread out limbs and now soft member makes me chuckle. I slap his thigh. “Come on, get on the massage table.”

“Nah, I’ll have a quick nap and we can continue.” He lazily answers, slowly closing his eyes.

I blink, “Lucio, have you ever gotten a massage?”

“Nope.” He mutters, ready to doze off.

“Okay, that’s it.” I grab and pull his golden arm by the wrist. It’s fucking heavy when it’s limp. “You’re getting one.”

He groans and lazily sits up, “This better be good.”

***

After an hour long massage where Lucio fell asleep, followed by an another hour of foreplay and sex, I’m now in his bathroom, cleaning myself up. I rummage around my bag, in search for the spare pair of underwear. I put them on, and then rummage some more to try again to find my small bundle of Zadith wood that I used for Nadia’s session. Hm, maybe I forgot to put it back in. I put the bag on my shoulder and exit the bathroom. It’s almost ten o’clock, which means I should leave soon.

Lucio, now fully clothed, is lounging on the bed, with a scowl on his face. He sits up as I come out. “I have some bad news.”

“What is it?” I ask, the worst kind of scenarios flooding my mind, again.

“Nadia’s family is coming over next week and they’ll be staying for at least two weeks.”

“Oh, that’s not good.” I let out a sigh of relief. “Wanna hide at my place?” I joke, giving him a soft smile.

Lucio chuckles, “That would be awesome. But, her family probably doesn’t know that we lead separate lives.”

“Does she plan on telling them?”

“I have no idea. Haven’t talked about it.” Letting out a heavy sigh, he continues. “So we’ll only have the chance to see each other at these appointments, that’ll only last an hour.”

“Hm…”

“I know, it sucks.”

Biting my bottom lip, I stride towards him, “It’s such a shame.” I say softly as I lift up my skirt so I can straddle him. “You can do better than that, stud.”

Sucking in a breath, his hands sneak under the skirt, squeezing my butt. “Yes, I can…” He whispers, burying his head in my modest cleavage, sucking and licking the soft skin. Just when I was about to move my hips, to grind against him, a knock on the door interrupts us.

“That’s Elias.” He says flatly.

We stand up from the bed and Lucio pulls me by the waist into a tight embrace, placing loud smooches along my jaw and neck. He breathes against my skin, “I can’t wait for Thursday.”

***

“Okay, you tricksters, I’m going home.” Mazelinka walks out from behind the counter, ready to hit the hay. “Sonya, do you have your keys?”

“Yes, I do.” Sonya confirms. She is sitting at one of the tables in the tavern, accompanied by her childhood friend, Julian.

“All right, goodnight.”

“Goodnight~” The two say in unison. With that, Mazelinka leaves the tavern.

Sonya and Julian are seated at a table in one of the corners, Julian’s favorite. They are sitting across each other, sipping on light ale in wooden pints.

“So, how do you like your new job so far?” Asks Julian.

“It’s good. I mean, not the fanciest job I’ve had, but I can’t complain.”

“I still don’t understand why you left Nevivon. You had a good life there.”

She scoffs. “It could’ve been better.”

He rests his elbows on the table, concern showing on his face, “What happened?”

She smiles, heartened by her friend showing concern, “There’s nothing to worry about, silly! It’s just that most of my friends got married and had kids, so naturally, they don’t have much time to hang out. Or rather, they don’t have the time at all! And Nevivon is a small place, I know almost everyone there, and I felt like my life became very stagnant.” She takes a sip before continuing. “I was bored out of my mind, Julian. This is why I came here, to see why you and Portia stayed in this city.”

Julian has known her long enough to be able to read her like an open book. To his relief, she was not lying. He takes a sip as well. “I’m glad it’s nothing serious. You can count on me to help you settle here. There are so many things to see and people to meet.”

“Thank you.” She says with a warm smile illuminated by the warm light of the table candle. “You still have to tell me what’s new with you! I haven’t seen you since you moved.”

His fingers run through his curly hair, “Oh, right. A year has passed.”

She nods. “Exactly! Tell me everything.”

“I’ll try to sum it up as briefly as possible.” He clears his throat. “As you know, I was hired as the Palace doctor, mostly to attend to the Count and Countess. Naturally, I had to get an acting job at one of the theaters as well.”

“Obviously.” She giggles.

“Oh, there’s going to be a premiere of a play in two months.”

“Oh, can’t wait to see it.” Sonya cheerfully responds, “Continue.”

“Right. Shortly after, I met a gorgeous girl, who I later on pursued a relationship with.”

“Wait.” Sonya jumps in, “ _You_ were in a relationship?”

He chuckles with the clear deep tone of his voice. “No need for that kind of enunciation. Yes, I was.” Making a brief pause, his fingers play with his curls again. “I fucked that up in the end.”

As she was about to swallow the drink, Sonya snorts. Managing to swallow, she coughs and slaps her chest. “Sorry, continue.”

Her reaction completely justified, he continues, “I mean I had the intention on settling. I truly did. However, my old habit made a sudden comeback when I met a certain pirate. Stunned by her beauty, I was unable to resist her.”

Sonya studies him with a serious face.

“Shortly after I declared that I have every intention on being serious, I go and mess it all up by acting like a true egoist.” He lets out a heavy sigh. “We ended up being good friends in the end.”

“And what about that pirate girl?”

“She was only visiting this place for two nights. Nor has she spoken the same language.”

Sonya leans in her chair, folding her arms. “Was it worth it?”

Unable to look her in the eyes, he answers by gazing at the half-empty pint, “No.”

The two of them sit in silence, Sonya disappointed, however not surprised, and Julian reliving the guilt.

He breaks the silence, “You should probably know that the girl is Mia.”

Sonya’s eyes widen in disbelief, “Mia? My friend Mia?”

“Yes.”

Her jaw drops. “Oh, you’re lucky I wasn’t here when that happened. I would’ve whooped your pancake ass.”

Taken aback by the strong response, he comments, “I wasn’t aware that you’re already that close.”

“Well, yeah! We spent the whole weekend working together.” She leans back. “Yeah, you really are a fool.”

He nods, “I agree.” Another heavy sigh leaves his lips. “Now, we’re just friends. Nothing more.”

Seeing her close friend’s sullen face, Sonya reaches for his hand resting on the pint handle. “If you want, I can talk to her.”

Julian shakes his head, “No, she has a new man in her life now.”

“Then you should stay away. That is, if she’s happy… Besides, you can’t expect a woman to jump back into a relationship with a man who cheated.”

“I didn’t cheat.” Julian corrects her, “However, I did break the relationship off the same day I encountered the other girl.”

“Much better.” She answers sarcastically.

He chuckles. “Anyway, what about your love life? Have you seen anybody you like?”

Perking up at the favorite conversation topic, she answers, “Oh, lots of them! If I knew how handsome Vesuvia men are, I would’ve moved here sooner.” She leans in, “I’ve been meaning to ask you, could you introduce me to the Count?”

Not expecting that kind of question, his thick eyebrows furrow, “The Count? You want to meet Lucio?”

“Yes, that’s what introduction is for.”

“Uh, why?”

“To chit chat about the weather.” She answers with a straight face.

Julian stops for moment, contemplating his answer. “Sorry, I can’t do that. His wife is a very dear friend of mine.”

“Oh. That’s too bad.”

He chuckles, “You are not missing out on anything.”

The two friends decided to end the catching up briefly after, as it was getting quite late. Just as Julian stood up and picked up the pints to wash them in the sink, the front door suddenly opened. Both confused, half expecting Mazelinka, they turn to the entrance to find out who it was.

“Mia? How come you’re here?” Sonya asks with delighted surprise in her voice.

Mia walks in and closes the door. “I thought that someone forgot to turn out the lights, so I had to go inside.”

“We were just about to go home.” Julian says, washing the dishes behind the counter.

Sonya suddenly stands up from her seat and rushes towards her coat, speedily putting it on, “Oh, I need to go home right now. Mazelinka asked me to do something.”

Julian gives her a confused look, “She did?”

“Yes, I just remembered.”

“But, she didn’t say anything when she was here.” He states, suspicion in his deep voice.

“That’s right, because she told me this morning, before work.”

“Oh, see you tomorrow, then.” Saying that, Mia gives her a peck on the cheek as a goodbye.

Sonya reciprocates and gives Julian a wave and a subtle wink, “Bye you two.” She turns around and leaves, satisfaction on her face.

“You leaving as well?” Mia asks, rubbing her hands and bringing them close to her face.

“Yes, it’s getting really late.” He approaches her. “Are you cold?”

“Yeah, it’s really cold outside… and it’s not that warm in here.”

“Okay, let’s just put out these lights, and get you home.”

Swift in his step, Julian puts out the lights and opens the door for Mia.

“Thank you. Although, I’m the one with the keys.”

“It’s the thought that counts.”

Locking up the doors, Mia turns to Julian. “You really don’t have to walk me home, it’s right there.”

“I know.”

The next minute, they’re already standing at Mia’s front door.

“Well, thank you for walking me.” She gives him a wobbly smile, as her body is now freezing in the night’s chilly air.

“Why don’t you have your coat?”

“Oh, I left the house during the day.”

He nods, figuring out the reason. With furrowed eyebrows, heavy lidded eyes gaze into the amethyst colored ones. His mouth opens, but closes the next second. Mia gives him a puzzled look.

“Y-you okay?” She stutters.

“I am.” Julian answers, not changing his lost-in-thought expression.

“You look like you have something on your m-mind.”

He shakes his head, “Nothing important.” Giving her a soft smile, he rubs Mia’s upper arms with his big hands. “Go, I don’t want you to keep freezing.”

“I mean, you can come in.” She offers in hope of pressing him further, although in a much warmer setting.

“Thank you for the offer, but I have to go home.” He pulls her into a gentle embrace, with one hand resting on her upper back and the other tangled in her long, thick hair. Her arms find their way around his torso, after a second of hesitation. It has been a long time since he hugged her in such a loving, gentle manner. Taking in a whiff of her hair, he squeezes then lets go. “There, to warm you up a little bit.”

Perplexed about his odd behavior, she only manages a nod.

“Good night, Mia.” His voice only a murmur.

“Bye.” Weakly utters Mia as Julian walks away.

***

The Count lounges in the Palace garden, surrounded by expertly cut greenery. The fresh scent of plants and warmth of the morning sun tingle his senses. This is the same spot where he had breakfast with Mia, where he spends his relaxing time, as well as where he hides from nosy servants. Accompanied by his old friend, Elias, sitting in the chair across him and smoking a cigar, he stretches out his limbs, resting his hands behind his head.

“What a fine day to just relax and do nothing.”

Elias slowly nods, “It sure is.”

“Let’s just ditch everything for today and go hunting. Or go to Schmidt’s pool.”

“That sounds very appealing. I could use a day off.”

Lucio turns his head towards him. “Oh fuck, you’re right. When was the last time you had time off?”

“I think it was a month ago.”

“Damn. Then you’re definitely taking this day off.”

“Well, thank you. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining I just –“

“I know. It’s been busier now that I started this with Mia.”

“Right. When was the last time you talked to Nadia?”

Lucio stares into distance, calculating, “Huh, maybe a week ago.”

“Maybe you should talk to her about the family visit.”

Unable to hide his irritation, he lets out a heavy sigh “I know. But not today. This day is too pretty to be ruined by that conversation.”

“Okay. Is Mia fine with the situation?”

“She is. I’m not, though.”

“Obviously. So, you like her?”

Lucio nods. “What’s up with you, though? Still nothing?”

“Nope.”

“You need to get back into the game, Elias! It’s such a waste feeling sad over some bitch.”

Elias snickers, “I know, I know…” He eyes Lucio, contemplating his next question, “And what about you, Lucio? Still planning on being married and just having lovers?”

Lucio frowns, rubbing the left side of his face, “I’ll end it sometime in the future.” Smirking at Elias he continues, “In the meantime, I’ll be busy finding somebody for you.”

***

“Move, I’m not sleeping in that puddle.” Portia playfully nudges Asra further on his side of the bed, leaving her side empty.

“We really need to start using towels on the bed. I can’t have you kicking me off the bed every time you come over.” Asra teases, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend as she nestles on his shoulder.

“The puddles are your fault.” She whispers.

He chuckles. “I can’t argue with that.”

Asra’s feeling of peacefulness and tenderness before falling asleep with his beloved girlfriend in his embrace is cut cold as he hears the following sentence, “I think I heard Mia and Lucio having sex.”

Acting surprised, he looks down to stare at Portia in faux disbelief, “I’m sorry, what?”

She props herself up on elbows, “I know, it sounds crazy. But, listen.” She clears her throat and continues with an energetic tone, “So, I saw at Milady’s bedroom that she forgot her Zadith wood. Naturally, I pick it up and go to Lucio’s wing to find her and return it. By the way, I had no idea that she had an appointment with him as well… I guess not for a massage.” Wording the last sentence under her breath, she continues, “After trying two or three rooms, just when I was about to knock, I hear creaking of furniture and what sounded like a woman panting on the other side of the door!”

“Are you sure that it wasn’t just Lucio having an obnoxious reaction to a massage?”

“No, those sounds were very sexual!”

“I mean, I remember Mia telling me how some people make sex noises when getting a massage.”

She eyes him for a moment, replaying the sounds in her head, “But they were rhythmical. You know, like in the beat of…” Her hands sway around, revealing how flustered she was about the shocking situation. “And you remember how flirty he was with her at the Masquerade!”

He shrugs, “I don’t know, he’s in a pretty good mood on his birthday.”

Sighing, she flops back in his embrace, “Fine. But I am gonna investigate further.”

He smiles at her, stroking her wild, soft curls, “Always curious.” _I need to warn Mia as soon as possible_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed this one!  
> Next chapter will be up in about a month.


	7. Moonless Night

_“He made it easy,_  
please don’t leave me...”   
Okay, I need to get that song out of my head. It’s not helping me at all. I sniffle. 

_The good thing is that the closing time is in less than half an hour. It has been a surprisingly busy night, and I can taste my bed. Although, I don’t feel like going back home. My attention shifts from drying the dishes to the creaky sound of the front doors opening._

_The warm light of candles reveals a tall man with curly auburn hair entering the tavern. He’s looking around the tavern as he slowly approaches the bar. It seems like he’s never been here before. His presence is too striking to forget. Also, does he not know that it’s almost closing time?_

_The stranger’s eyes catch mine when he’s two steps away from the bar. His lips form a polite smile, “Good evening.” The sound of his fruity voice erases just a crumb of my annoyance._

_I return the polite smile, “Good evening. How can I help you?”_

_“Can I get a pint of mulled wine, please?”_

_I nod, “Coming right up.”_

_He sits on one of the stools by the bar, even though there are plenty of empty tables. Resting his elbows on the counter, he surveys the space some more._

_“Slow night, huh?” the stranger comments._

_“Not really. I was elbows deep in ale until an hour ago.” I answer while I wait for the wine to warm up._

_“Oh, that is unfortunate.”_

_“I don’t mind, as long as we have patrons.” The rich scent of mulled wine invokes a craving. Maybe I’ll have some after closing. As I walk back to the counter, I quickly glance at his face. High cheekbones, thick eyebrows, jaw that could slice my dress in half… attractive._

_I put the pint down, “Here you go, enjoy!”_

_“Thank you, Mia.”_

_I stand in front of him, blinking before asking. “Um, how do you know my name?”_

_“Oh, how rude of me!” He extends his right arm. “My name is Julian, I am Mazelinka’s relative from Nevivon.”_

_“Ah, you finally arrived.” I accept his hand and he shakes it with a firm, but not too strong, handshake. “Welcome to Vesuvia.”_

_“Why thank you, Mia.” Julian smirks. His deep set, gray colored eyes meet mine. Standing closer to him, I only now see that his right eye has blood red sclera. “Would you care to join me?” He gestures to the stool next to him, innocent smile on his thin, flushed lips._

_“I guess I could. It’s closing time soon.” I answer and go around the bar._

_“Really? I had no idea!” His cheeks redden a little._

_I give him a reassuring smile, “No worries. Mazelinka mentioned you so many times. I’m more than happy to get to know you.” I swear he just checked me out as I sat down next to him. I guess this new off the shoulder dress was a good choice for tonight._

_We start a conversation about what places to visit in Vesuvia, his occupation, when the next play is at the nearest theater. The unusual absence of background voices alerts me to the fact that it’s past closing time._

_“I gotta lock up the doors. If you want, you can stay to chat some more.”_

_“That would be lovely, but I don’t want to occupy your free time.”_

_I fish out the keys from my pocket and walk towards the front door. “Don’t worry. You’re a lovely company.” I would be lying if I said that he hasn’t intrigued me. He has enough discipline and knowledge to be a doctor, doctor for the Palace no less, but adores theater and having a good time mixed with drinks._

_In addition, he’s tall and handsome, but that doesn’t play any role in this invitation to stay._

_“In that case, I can’t say no.”_

_We move our conversation to a table in a corner, after I prepared the mulled wine for us._

_“It’s quite a shame that I missed that grand Masquerade. Have you attended it, Mia?”_

_“Sadly, no. I was very busy last week.”_

_“Oh. Would you like to go together next year?” Julian asks with a suggestive grin._

_I only nod, feeling my cheeks flush._

_As the time passes and wine turns lukewarm, handsome smirks and giddy smiles exchanged, the questions move their way below the surface._

_Julian slightly leans over the table, his attractive face closer to mine. My stomach flutters a little. “Tell me, Mia, do you have a man in your life right now?”_

_The smile that wouldn’t peel off my face for the last hour falters a little. I shake my head. “No, I don’t.” I lean in as well, my face so close to his that I can breathe in his subtle cologne. He glances at my lips, before focusing back on my now heavy lidded eyes. “Are **you** involved with anyone, Julian?” _

_“Why do you ask?”_

_Oh, someone’s teasing. “Such a tease.” I whisper and lean back into my chair._

_He chuckles and leans back as well. “All right. It is only fair to answer; no, I’m not.”_

_“Mm.” I respond as sensually as I can. “And how is that possible?”_

_Julian chuckles, as if he’s used to that kind of question, “I was never serious. I loved indulging in good drinks and beautiful women. However, the time has come for me to change my ways and settle at last.”_

_As cliché as that answer sounded, I can tell that he’s honest. I glance at our now empty pints. “At the risk of being a bad influence, but, you want a refill?”_

_He grins, “Only if you do.”_

_Relieved that he wants to stay longer, I pick up the pints and stride behind the bar, swaying my hips in my stride just a bit more than usual. Just as I filled up the pot with wine, a big cold hand tenderly lands on my exposed shoulder. I shudder at the sudden contact. Somehow I didn’t hear him approach._

_I turn around, pressed between the counter and him. “Impatient, aren’t you?”_

_Without saying a word, he grasps my chin with his thumb and index finger, stopping for a moment as if to see if I’m okay with this action. Of all the ways I could’ve shown him my approval, I choose to lick the thumb with the tip of my tongue. I only have a moment to see the flash of lust and excitement in his eyes before he entraps my lips with his. The hand on my chin moves to the back of my head and the other presses me against his firm torso by the waist. I rest my hand on either side of his face, his lips kissing me hard. He parts his lips and intertwines his tongue with mine._

_With each feverish kiss in his breathtaking embrace, my chest tightens, feeling a lump form in my throat. Not now. I bury my hands in his soft curls, catching his bottom lip between my teeth. He lets out a deep velvety groan. He presses his body against mine even more; the grip in my hair tightens, making me gasp._

_I break the kiss to breathe, “Fuck me.”_

_His eyes widen in surprise, “Are you su-!“_

_My lips lock with his, cutting him off. Yes, I’m sure. I need to escape the pain. It takes him a moment before he returns the fierce kiss. My fingers travel onto the front of his shirt, impatiently unbuttoning it. He lowers himself to grab me by the back of my thighs, lift me up and seat me on the counter. His lips leave mine to bury them into the crook of my neck, his teeth nibbling the sensitive skin, electrifying my whole body. One hand lowers the neckline of my dress, exposing my breasts, while the other one…_

***

Elias, Schmidt, and Lucio are relaxing on lounge chairs by Schmidt’s famous pool. They’re enjoying the sunny morning, but Lucio and Elias are mostly relieved to have a short escape from the busy Palace.

Schmidt, a muscular tall man who doesn’t shy away from gold jewelry finishes eating a bowl of grapes. He turns to Lucio, “Did you place your bet, Lucio?”

“No, I’m not giving you my money Schmidt, you know damn well.” Lucio answers, not peeling away his stare from the pool.

Schmidt laughs, “C’mon, support your friend’s business.”

“When you open up a brothel I may.” Lucio teases.

“Tsk. The brothel again. I told you that shit is too risky.”

“All you have to do is open it, I’ll take care of the law.”

Elias chuckles, “Oh, for _that_ you’re willing to get into legal issues.”

Lucio only pouts, holding back a smile, as his two only friends laugh at his expense.

Schmidt turns to him, “On a more serious note-“

“I didn’t agree to that.” Lucio cuts off.

Schmidt chuckles, “For real, Muriel may lose this one. That guy from Prakra is a real ironman.”

“Oh, Vesuvians are gonna be livid.” comments Elias.

Lucio shrugs, “Whatever.”

Schmidt gives Elias a confused look. He clears his throat. “What’s up with you, Blondie?”

Lucio scoffs and finally looks at his friend, “What? I don’t know what to tell you. The Mountain can’t always win, I guess.”

Schmidt rolls his chestnut brown eyes. “Tsk. Why are you so moody, Blondie?”

“I’m not, Baldy.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

Hiding his amusement at the toddler-like bickering, Elias jumps in. “Well, you are. But for a good reason.”

Now Lucio rolls his eyes and looks away from the two.

“You know that Nadia’s family is here, right?” he asks Schmidt.

Schmidt nods.

“Yeah, well that means it’s ten times busier than usual. In addition, he has to pretend that Nadia and he are a happy couple or we’ll lose all the Prakra benefits. Her parents could easily convince her to divorce him.”

“Wish they would…” Lucio murmurs.

Elias shakes his head. “There’s one more thing…” He eyes Lucio, searching for approval.

Lucio straightens up in his seat and sighs, “I can’t fuck this one woman as often as I would like to, because I have to be at the Palace _all_ the fucking time.” He leans back in his seat, running a hand trough his slicked back hair. “I get laid only once a week, thanks to Elias.”

“Well excuse me for trying to minimize the suspicion.” Elias’ tone slightly defensive.

Lucio grunts in response, but Elias continues, “They’re already suspicious with that one ‘massage appointment’ per week. That snoopy Portia always tries to creep around your wing at that time.”

_Portia, with a swift but soundless step, walks up the stairs of Lucio’s wing. In her hands are two plates filled with dog treat delicacies. Cautiously, her eyes search around the hallway. It’s completely clear, but eerily quiet. Suddenly a muffled creak escapes from the right side of the hall. Heart thumbing, she tippy toes towards the source._

_“Can I help you, Portia?” A deep ringing voice behind makes her jump like a startled cat. She turns around._

_“Elias!” She takes a deep breath. “I almost dropped the treats.”_

_He lifts his eyebrows, “The treats?”_

_“Yes, for Mercedes and Melchior.” she answers, her voice wobbly._

_With his lower abdomen twisting, he answers impatiently, “Portia, you know that they aren’t supposed to eat anything for the next two hours. Therefore, if you would be so kind to leave them away until they do?” His pressed lips managing a polite smile._

_She only blinks, not used to seeing Elias so serious. “O-okay.”_

_His emerald eyes follow her until she is out of sight, and the sound of her steps fades away._

_“Can’t even take a shit in peace.” he murmurs and walks away._

Schmidt decides to jump in before a more intense argument unravels. “Wait, you have a lover again, Lucio?”

He nods.

“Well damn, why didn’t you say so. You could’ve just invited her over here.”

“Can’t.” mutters Lucio.

“Yup, his name is sullied enough with so many past affairs before I moved here. The less people know about her, the better.” now annoyed, Elias lights up a cigar.

“Understandable.” Feeling the palpable tension, Schmidt grins and playfully smacks Elias between his shoulder blades, almost knocking out the cigar between his lips. “What about you, Eli? Any hot chicks in your life?”

“Nope.”

“Pity. You could have any woman with that pretty face.”

Elias only chuckles.

Lucio joins, “Actually, Navra might have hots for you.”

“I know.” Elias deadpans.

“What? You don’t like her?”

“It’s not that. I just don’t see the point. In two days she’ll be going back to Prakra, and I’ll stay here.”

Lucio sighs. “I didn’t tell you to marry her.”

“Just give her a memorable last night in Vesuvia.” adds Schmidt.

“Plus, she’s a good dancer, so she must be amazing in bed.”

“Oh? Is that why you’re so moody? Mia’s that amazing?” Elias teases.

Schmidt turns to Lucio, exhilarated, “Oooh! Congrats!” Now it is Lucio’s turn to be playfully smacked on the shoulder. “You always fantasized about being with a dancer. Her name is Mia?”

“Yes. She’s performing tomorrow at the party. You’ll meet her there.”

***

Now that I’ve put away the food for tomorrow in the tavern’s storage room, I return to Asra and Julian cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. It’s Julian doing the cleaning, actually. I squint at his white shirt.

“Julian, I told you to put on an apron.” I scold when I notice a big orange splotch on the shirt.

Asra, resting on a stool by the bar, cocks his head to get a better look, “That looks tough to wash out.”

I roll my eyes, take off the apron from Asra, and put it on Julian. “There.”

“Aw, thank you.” Julian gives me a grateful smile.

I pat his upper arm. Asra yawns and slowly stands up from the stool. “Well, time for me to go.”

“You don’t wanna wind down with some ale?” I ask.

“Nah, I’ll drink tomorrow.”

“Oh, boy.” Julian joins while washing the dishes. “Whose turn is it tomorrow to walk you home?”

The honest question makes me laugh. Asra chuckles, “Oh ha-ha… It’s Muriel’s.” He answers under his breath.

“Asra, I meant to ask you, “I add, walking up to him, “Is Portia still suspicious?” In my peripheral sight, I see Julian shifting his attention to us.

Asra nods, “Yes. She’s very persistent to find out what’s going on. And I don’t know how much longer I’ll manage to evade her questions.”

I sigh, “Lovely.”

Asra’s features soften, “You can trust her, Mia. She’s a good secret keeper.”

I shrug. “I’ll see.”

“Asra’s right. It won’t slip out if she knows how important it is.” Julian adds, drying his arms on the apron.

“Okay, okay. I said I’ll see.” I turn to Asra and give him a hug, “See you tomorrow.”

“See ya.” He returns the hug and waves at Julian on his way out. “Good night, you two.” He walks out and shuts the door behind him.

“Want a drink?” Julian asks me, his apron off.

“Of course.” I walk towards our table in the corner and take a seat. Julian joins me shortly after.

“Is Sonya going to make it to the party?” He asks.

“Yup. She’s supposed to be back tomorrow morning.” I take a refreshing sip of ale. “I’m gonna make her cover my shifts for a whole week. She left me alone last weekend!” I jokingly declare. Julian laughs. Then, I remember that he probably doesn’t know, “Oh! Did you know that Sonya’s crush was Muriel?”

Julian’s eyes widen, “Wait, he’s the Bath Guy?”

“Exactly! Although, she called him –

_Sonya and I are busy behind the counter, filling pints with beverages and bowls with snacks, when the corner of my eye catches two more patrons entering the crowded tavern. Recognizing the familiar silhouettes, Asra and Muriel, I look up to wave at them, but the action is suddenly cut off when Sonya’s hand grabs my upper arm. She’s looking in their direction, eyes wide, “Oh my god, it’s him! It’s Mr. Sexy!”_

Julian lets out a throaty laugh, “Oh, that’s Sonya for you.” he comments, “So, did they hit it off?”

I shake my head and scoff, “What do you think? It’s Muriel we’re talking about.”

He nods in agreement. I continue. “I introduced her to him, they exchanged a few sentences throughout the evening. Now they just greet each other at the pools and that’s it.”

“Hm. Perhaps Asra could nudge Muriel to be more assertive. On the battleground he is an invincible beast, but when it comes to women...” He snickers, leaving the thought unfinished. I knowingly nod.

We sit in silence, lost in our own thoughts; Julian staring into the almost empty wooden pint in his hand, and me gazing at the flame of the table lamp. He clears his throat, which shifts my attention to his brooding face. My eyes are met with a soft gaze of steel gray eyes.

“Mia…” he speaks, something enigmatic in his deep voice. “I know it’s sudden, and there is no need to give me an answer right away, but… would you grant me another chance?”

I sigh. Julian was very affectionate in the last few weeks; seizing any chance to walk me home, play with my hair, embrace me… I should’ve seen this coming. “Why do you want that, Julian?” I utter softly.

“Because… I miss you. I miss the warmth when you fall asleep in my arms, the sight of your chaotic hair in the morning, the laughter when I tickle you, the blush across your cheeks when I read you romantic poems. I miss you so much…” The last sentence he whispers, more to himself.

I swallow, a lump forming in my throat. My mouth is dry. I wanted to respond with – _well, you should’ve thought twice before you broke up with me to fuck that pirate bitch_ , but that would be too cruel. I can’t bring myself to have a grudge on him. Portia told me that he was drowning in regret soon after. For a long time he did his best to hide it.

I look down into my pint. Damn it, there’s no more ale left. I clear my throat and look up at him, anxiously waiting for me to say something. The remorse on his face makes me want to sit next to him, rest his head on my chest and tell him that everything is gonna be okay.

“Look, I would be lying if I said I don’t miss our time together.” I begin, my voice gentle. “The reason why you broke up with me did sting. Actually, it hurt… a lot. It took me a while to build my confidence back.”

“I am deeply sorry, Mia – “

“I know,” I cut him off, giving him a soft smile, in hopes of erasing a smidgen of the sadness in his eyes. “I know. You would never deliberately hurt anyone. You have a good heart. It’s just that I…” Oh shit, here it comes. Opening the can of worms. I can’t look at him, so I avert my gaze to my empty pint.

“I’m still not over the guy that I was in relationship with before you.” I can’t stop here to wait for his reaction, I need to justify this statement. “That doesn’t mean that you were a rebound or anything. I really did fall for you, I mean how could I not, and I really hoped to find comfort and happiness with you, maybe I didn’t wanna admit to myself that he hurt me that much – “

“Hey…” Julian’s soft whisper cuts off my panicked explaining. He stands up from his chair to sit next to me. His always-cold hands wrap around mine.

Still unable to look him in the eyes, I swallow hard, my throat dry like I ate sand. I feel tears forming in the back of my eyes. I continue with a trembling voice, “Just when I was getting comfortable, you pulled a rug from under me.” My vision starts to get blurry with tears welling up in my eyes. One escapes across my cheek, but Julian’s caring hand wipes it away. “Had you broken up with me for any other reason, I would’ve considered starting over, but…” My eyes now start flooding, and I strain my throat to hold back the sobs. Julian takes out a handkerchief and wipes my face with one hand, while the other one tucks my hair behind my ear. “He broke up with me for the same reason… he had found someone better.” Treacherous mouth lets out a sob. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” I finish weakly.

I finally look up. I hoped to see him frowning, angry with me for using him to get over somebody. He isn’t. Of course he isn’t. Hurt mixed with compassion paints his face. He only nods, wiping away the rest of the tears. “Can I hug you?”

I nod.

He pulls me into a gentle embrace that tightens immediately as my tears soak up his shirt.

I don’t know how long we sat there before my cheeks finally dried. Julian breaks the silence.

“I know I’m not in any position to ask this question, but… who is the guy that hurt you so much?”

I hesitate for a moment. He has the right to know. Tears fill my eyes again.

“Asra.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, now you know more about Mia. The song that was in her head is "Easy" by Troye Sivan. I know it's a modern song, but I found it very fitting for that situation.   
> Next chapter will be up in the beginning of February, since the exams season starts in January.   
> Thank you for reading, and feel free to leave a comment! <3


	8. Courage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of Lucio's birthday, I offer you a new chapter.

The defeated gladiator of today's match, Muriel, is sitting by a table, elbows resting on the surface. He is surrounded by rowdy folk, who will drink and sing no matter the outcome. He can't help but envy their high spirits. For what it's worth, this defeat motivates him to continue his gladiator career for a little longer.

Asra eyes Muriel from the other side of Rowdy Raven. The magician isn't too worried about his friend; yes, he might feel disappointed in himself, but this will only fuel his desire to become better. However, he doesn't want to see him slouched against the table, staring into the pint of ale in front of him. This party is in his honor after all. When a certain strawberry blonde haired beauty passes his vision, an orb above his head lights up. Faust slithers onto his shoulder, eyes glinting with excitement.

"Pretty!"

Asra chuckles, "I'm onto it!"

Searching the crowd, he manages to catch the set of amethyst eyes he needed. He squeezes through to the other side of the room, asking Mia to talk to him in a quieter corner of the tavern. The request results in them going outside.

"What's up?" Mia asks resting her side against the wall. 

Now that he's much closer to her, Asra notices how heavy-lidded and blood shot her eyes are. Concern replaces the excitement. "Is everything okay? Your eyes look tired." 

She blinks a few times, as if that will make the redness go away. "Oh. I thought they would look better by now." She sighs, "Yeah, everything's fine. Julian and I stayed until four in the morning drinking and goofing around." She points to her cup of mint tea, "That's why I'm drinking tea at a party." 

The tone she explained it in was not convincing. He will let it slide for now. 

He gives her a warm smile, "Glad to know that you're tired from having a good time." 

She nods and readjusts in her place, "So is there something you wanna talk about?" 

"Oh, right! Does Sonya still like Muriel?" 

Mia chuckles, "Very much. You want me to nudge her to cheer Murel up?" 

Asra grins, "Exactly." 

She straightens up and walks back towards the doors of the Raven. "Easy." 

Back at the lively party, Mia approaches Sonya behind the bar, as she’s filling up pints.

“So, what are you waiting for?”

“Huh?”

“Mr. Sexy is sitting over there, chatting with some guy, when he could be talking to you.”

Sonya blushes, and turns to Mia, “I wanted to give him a chance to approach me first.”

“Sweetheart, I already told you that he’s too shy to approach a woman like you. Besides, he’s not feeling the most confident right after losing the match.” Mia takes the pints Sonya filled up, “Just go over there. I know he would like to get to know you.”

Rosy flush sprinkles across her cheeks and ears. She takes a deep breath, “Fine. If he rejects me, you’re working the whole next week.”

Mia nods, “Sure, but that’s not gonna happen.”

***

Now that it’s been an hour since Sonya approached Muriel, with whom she’s still talking, thank you very much, I gotta drive to the Palace and prepare for the performance. I search the crowd for Julian. My gaze lands on a table being entertained by a tall figure.

I approach him from the side and, since he’s too invested in his storytelling, I tap his shoulder to grab his attention.

He turns his flushed face to me, steel eyes looking through me. “Oh, Mia! How can I help you?” he asks in theatrical tone, his crowd-pleasing persona on the front.

“You should walk Asra home.” I speak to his ear, to avoid shouting over loud voices and music.

“No problem!”

“And don’t stay too long, you have another party to attend.”

“I know, no need to worry.”

With that, I stand up straight, pat his shoulder and head outside.

***

Last minute preparations before big events cannot go without conflict.

Nadia is lying on the chaise lounge in her bedroom with a warm cloth covering her face. She doesn’t move when there’s knocking on her door.

“Come in.” her voice muffled by the cloth.

Portia peeks through the door, “Just letting you know that Natiqua, Nahara and Navra have returned, Milady.”

“Finally!” Nadia exclaims. She sits up and removes the cloth, “Where have they been?”

“They were doing the big last day shopping.”

“Only to return ten minutes before the party begins.” She walks to her vanity to fix her makeup.

“Also, Lady Nasrin wishes to speak to you.”

“Very well, let her inside.”

Portia excuses herself, and a minute later Nadia’s mother enters the bedroom.

“I hope you don’t mind me intruding your private space.”

“Not at all, mother. Sit wherever you want.” Nadia turns in her seat to face her.

Nasrin takes a seat on the chaise lounge, resting her elbow on the armrest. “I had quite a pleasant time here in Vesuvia.”

“I’m delighted to hear that.”

Nasrin nods, “I wish you visited Prakra as well. I am certain you miss your home country.”

“I do. When we catch free time, Lucio and I will pay a visit.”

Queens golden eyes study her daughter. “Are you happy with him?”

As if anticipating this question, Nadia looks her straight in the eyes, “I am, mother. Why would you ask such a question?”

“My child, you cannot fool me.” She stands up and walks across the room towards Nadia. Her soft fingers brush away long purple strands from her daughter’s face. “If you do not wish to admit the truth, then so be it… However, you owe it to yourself to live an honest life.”

Nadia manages to keep her cool façade, but tightness forms in her chest.

Nasrin cups her chin, expression softening, “Just remember, you can always come back.”

After that, Nasrin informs Nadia that it is time to join others and leaves her room. Her mother’s words, said solely for her daughter’s good, hang heavy on her mind.

Five minutes before all the guests should gather at the ballroom, and Lucio is still all the way in his wing, sulking in his bedroom.

“What do you mean I can’t hang out with Mia after her performance?” The Count almost barks at his friend Elias.

The vein adorned Elias’ forehead ever since the Satrinava family arrived, which caused Lucio to be more unbearable and unreasonable than ever. “Are you _that_ sexually frustrated? Do I need to suck your dick for you to stop being so insufferable?”

“No, I wouldn’t let you near my dick when you’re this angry.”

Elias snorts, “Smart choice. Seriously, Lucio, you just have to keep it in your pants for this last night. You weren’t convincing as a lovable husband, so at least don’t make yourself look like a cheating one.” Elias narrows his eyes, “Have you talked to Nadia?”

“About what?”

“The future of your marriage.”

Lucio scoffs, “Nope. She made it perfectly clear that she never had any feelings for me and considers this marriage a political union.”

“Okay, but that was two years ago.”

Lucio frowns and approaches the door of his bedroom, “If it wasn’t for Prakra’s benefits, I would’ve divorced her on the spot.” He swiftly opens the door and walks away, “I don’t give a shit about those benefits anymore.” he utters to himself, but Elias still heard him.

His friend catches up to him and grabs him by the shoulder, “Stop!”

Reluctantly Lucio stops in his tracks, annoyance spread across his face as he turns to Elias. It’s just the two of them in his wing, “What has gotten into you? Are you really going to throw away your marriage so you can be free to sleep with whomever you want? Or is it because of Mia? Is she worth throwing everything away? You barely know her!”

Even though his face in knotted in frustration, his voice reveals doubt, “It’s not about her. Hell, she’s probably sticking around because of the luxuries I offer.”

“She is.” Lucio shoots him a glare, “But only because that is all you offer.” Elias sighs, “Look, if you feel like she, or anybody, is worth your time, you need to put your pride aside and let them in. You can’t expect a deeper connection if all you have to offer is sex and pretty things.”

Lucio cocks an eyebrow, “Oh? So you’re telling me to get over myself and let people in?”

“Yes.”

“ _You_ are telling me that?”

“…”

“Are you willing to do that as well?”

Elias blinks, not expecting the conversation to take that turn.

“I’ll listen to you, but only if you do that as well.”

His friend purses his lips, but eventually nods. “Fine. But please behave tonight.”

Lucio smirks, “I’ll try.”

Elias rolls his eyes, but manages a chuckle. Maybe the vein will start to dissipate after tonight.

***

Okay, you know what? My sense of directions is fine; the problem is the Palace hallways, where every corner looks the same. I notice that my breathing is still uneven as I, once again, roam around the Palace in search for my changing room. That performance left me winded. As I contemplate accepting defeat and bashfully going back to ask Elias for help, I hear familiar footsteps behind me.

“There you are!” Julian exclaims.

“Hey. You’re looking for me?”

“Yeah, Navra was wondering if you could hang out with her.” He looks around. “You don’t know where the bedroom is, do you?”

I give him a sheepish smile and nod.

He chuckles, shaking his head, “Here, it’s not that far.”

As he leads the way, he gives me a warm smile, “You managed to outdo your last performance. I thought that was impossible.”

I grin, “I’m so happy you said that. I was anxious about performing in front of Nadia’s family.”

“I understand. No need to worry now, they enjoyed it.”

I nod. Few steps later, we were in front of my changing room, which is also one of Nadia’s sisters’ bedrooms.

“Well, uh… I’ll see you back there?”

“Um, I’m very tired, so I think I’ll pass.”

“Oh? Not even for refreshment?”

I shake my head.

“I understand. It has been an exhausting day after all.” His hand reaches to pat or squeeze my shoulder, but he stops himself midway and slumps his arm back to his side. “I’ll see you around then.”

As he was about to turn around, I grab his wrist. “Julian…”

He stops and looks at me, confused.

“Are we good?”

He furrows his thick brows, “Why wouldn’t we be?”

I sigh, “Because you’ve been avoiding me all day?”

His steel gray eyes gaze at mine for a moment before an exhale leaves his lips. “I wanted to give you some space today. I figured that my presence would be a reminder of how upset you were last night. I didn’t mean it to look like I was avoiding you.”

I search his face. “Are you sure?”

He chuckles, “Yes, I’m sure.”

“Okay, to prove you’re not lying, you gotta give me a proper hug.”

He gladly gives me a tight hug, not the praying mantis kind. I smile in relief.

“Asra was worried about you.” he utters, still holding the hug.

I frown, “I should’ve worn more makeup during the day.”

“I didn’t say anything when he asked if something happened last night.”

“Thank you.”

He breaks away the hug, and gives me a meaningful look. “Your friendship will crumble should you keep your feelings at bay.”

I gulp at the strong, very much true statement. “If I say anything, it will cause more harm than good… I just – “

Julian places comforting hands on my shoulders, “I’m sorry. I don’t want you to get upset.”

My shoulders relax under his cold hands.

“By the way, did you see the way Lucio was looking at you back there?”

I laugh, “You noticed as well?”

“He is definitely not a man who knows how to hide his lust.”

I shake my head, “I hope nobody else noticed.”

“Well, I could lie to you – “

I put my palms up, “Nope, I don’t wanna deal with that now!”

“Sorry!” Julian chuckles, “But I do wish to talk to you further on this whole situation. When you are well rested, of course.”

I nod and he pulls me into a tighter, longer hug. The mood between us is now much lighter. After we pull away and wish each other good night, I slip into the bedroom.

Before changing out of the costume, I briefly appreciate my getup in a full body mirror.

Nadia’s ever observing eyes caught on the fact that my favorite color is green. The costume is more luxurious and more sensual than the previous one – it is made of finest emerald green silk, the slits on the skirt exposing my legs completely, both the belt and the bra are frosted with mesmerizing crystals and gold chains making the costume a captivating union of green and gold.

Just as I’m about to take off the bra, the bedroom door opens, earning a surprised yelp and freezing my hands in place.

“Go on, continue.” Lucio teases and closes the door behind him.

I exhale a held in breath, “Goodness! I thought I was about to flash an unfortunate soul.”

“You mean fortunate?” He approaches me, his mischievous grin never leaving his thin, wine stained lips.

I chuckle, “Don’t get any ideas. Nadia’s sister occupies this bedroom.”

“Is that so?” he asks a rhetorical question and dives straight into the crook of my neck, kissing and sucking. I gasp, warmth and wetness already forming between my legs.

I bring my arms to his shoulders, reluctantly pushing him away. “We can’t do it here.”

“Let’s go to my bedroom.” he breathes.

I furrow my brows, “Isn’t your wing too far away from the ballroom? And won’t your long absence raise suspicion?”

“I’ll just let Elias come up with something.” He gives me a ravenous, acidic kiss. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

As he’s about to exit the room, my brain catches on, “Wait, isn’t it better if you go alone and I come later?”

“Nope. You’ll get lost. Now hurry.” He soundlessly shuts the door.

With lightning speed, I have my flowy dress on and the costume in my bag. It’s embarrassing how just the thought of having sex with Lucio has me so embarrassingly aroused. It doesn’t make sense, I still haven’t managed to orgasm, which led to us having sex to only get him off. It’s still enjoyable, but why am I doing this? Why do I still sneak around Nadia’s back and why am I still with Lucio? I could just sell the expensive stuff he gifted me, and only dance at the parties thrown by Nadia, managing to earn a good amount from time to time. Am I starting to like him? Do I genuinely enjoy his company even though I always detested him as a Count? Why is he still not bored of me? Are the stars currently aligned in some way that makes all of my suppressed feelings and thoughts rise to the surface?

Now is not the time to answer all of that. I reach for the doorknob and open the door.

Lucio stands up from leaning against the doorframe and puts an index finger to his lips. I nod. He offers me his hand and with light steps, we slither around the Palace taking weird turns and routes.

“Okay, around the right corner is the ballroom. We’ll go straight ahead, but run as fast as a hunting dog to pass that corner. We’re lucky most of the servants are dismissed.”

As on cue, we hear hurried footsteps approaching from the right. Lucio’s ex mercenary reflexes kick in and in a flash, with a vice grip on my hand, he reaches for a door next to us and shoves us inside what seems to be a broom closet. I’m impressed when he manages to lightly shut the door, given the speed and intensity he was moving. With both his hands, firmly on the doorknob, he presses his ear against the door. I stand pressed behind his firm back, in this small, cluttered closet. I can only hear his uneven breathing and smell his spicy cologne.

“Fuck…” annoyance in his whisper. “They’re walking away. But I don’t think we should come out yet.”

I give the back of his head a puzzled look, “What if someone needs something from here?”

There’s a short pause. “I just won’t let them in.”

I press my lips against his shoulder to stifle a laugh. The mix of tiredness, adrenaline rush and a ridiculous answer like that does something to you. When I gather myself, I put my hand over his hands, “Let me touch the doorknob. I think I can lock it with magic.”

Lucio obliges wordlessly and I successfully lock it. Hopefully I’ll be as successful to unlock it too. Now that there’s no risk of doors suddenly opening, Lucio rests his back on them.

Instead of a lustful, wine infused, half-lidded gaze, his snowy silver eyes give me a questioning look. “Is there something going on between you and Julian?”

Now it’s my turn to give him a questioning look, “Wh - ? No? Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know, that hug seemed kinda long.”

 _Oh_. He did enter the room soon after Julian left. “Did you hear what we were talking about before the hug?”

“Nope, just caught the sight of you hugging.”

I nod, “To answer properly – No, Julian and I are just friends. There was some kind of misunderstanding between us, but we talked it out and hugged afterwards.” I cross my arms, “However, I don’t think there is any room for jealousy between you and me.”

“I’m not jealous.” Lucio states unconvincingly.

I narrow my eyes. That’s when I realize. We never set any ground rules. I just assumed that we had a silent deal where I would keep him company until he gets bored of me and moves onto the next person.

Building tension between us turns this closet even smaller and finally unbearable to stay in. I sigh. This is what you get, Mia, for sweeping things under the rug.

“Look, what I meant by that, is that you’re married. While I do enjoy our physical relationship, I don’t think that it’s okay from you to expect me to not be with anybody else.”

“Are you with anybody else?”

“No. But, I don’t want you to be jealous when that happens.” _I’m not sure if I want that to happen_. I push the thought to the back of my head.

“I told you, I wasn’t jealous.” Now he crosses his arms.

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re angry at me.”

He lifts his eyebrows, in an attempt to remove the frown. Better, but still not good.

“Lucio,” I cup his warm cheek, “it’s okay to tell me if you are. I don’t bite.”

He tenses at the touch, but a moment later, his gaze softens.

A sudden tug of the doorknob startles both of us. Lucio presses his hand on top of my lips and I try to steady my breathing in spite of my heart thumping in my chest. The person impatiently knocks on the door.

We hear a deep hushed voice from the other side. “It’s Elias.”

A sigh of relief leaves my lips as Lucio removes his hand. I unlock the door.

Lucio and I step out of the stuffy closet. Before we can say anything, visibly frustrated Elias speaks first, “Lucio, you have to go right back, before Portia returns.” _\- Of course it’s Portia –_ “I’ll walk Mia back to the ballroom.”

“Bu – “

“I don’t wanna hear it!” Elias cuts off Lucio’s weak protest.

With his signature pout of defeat, Lucio walks away and turns the right corner.

Elias exhales and turns to me with a warm smile. “Sorry about that.”

“No, it’s fine.” I return the smile, “But, I actually wanted to go home.”

“Already?”

“Yeah. Besides, a dancer shouldn’t hang out with the crowd afterwards, to keep her mysterious persona.”

“Interesting.”

“And I really wanna go to bed.”

Elias chuckles, “Okay, I’ll walk you out.”

He and I walk outside, breathing in fresh, night air. Before we approach a carriage ride, he turns to me.

“After tomorrow, when Satrinava family leaves, Lucio will be a much more delightful company.”

I nod, feeling slightly giddy at the thought of things going back to normal.

“Thank you for working so hard to avoid suspicion. Lucio is lucky to have you by his side.”

Elias’ shakes his head, smiling, “It’s nothing compared to our mercenary days.”

“What do you mean?”

His lime green eyes avert somewhere into the distance, “He was a good leader... He actually saved my head from being sliced in half.” His long fingers gingerly touch the scar on his right cheek. “That’s how I got away with only this scar.”

He shakes his head and returns his gaze to me, “Sorry, didn’t mean to give you some sad backstory. Yeah, he’s been a handful lately. Thankfully my hair is already white, ‘cause I think I gained a hundred gray hairs in the past few weeks.”

I only snort at the last part. The previous part left me speechless.

***

“Lucio, pay attention to the table and not the ballroom entrance.” Nadia whispers to Lucio with her delicate hand hovering over her lips.

It takes him a second to realize he was staring at the entrance as she spoke. He straightens up in his seat and gives Nadia a forced smile. Oh, how he hated those forced smiles. However, the fact that the Satrinava family is leaving tomorrow after breakfast puts him in an almost giddy mood.

“Apologies, darling.”

His table accompanied Nadia, her parents, and her older sister Nafizah. Her sister seems to be dozing off, with her eyes closing for longer with each blink, while her parents are sipping on wine and having a quiet discussion between them. Lucio rests his hand on top of Nadia’s, intertwining his fingers with hers. Three years ago, showing any kind of affection to her would put a smile on his face, but now… nothing. He is on the highest position in his life, yet he never had less control. If only he could escape from all of this.

Just as his mood started to drop, a firm hand grabs his shoulder.

“Sir, may I talk to you in private?” asks Elias in a formal tone. Lucio eyes Nadia. She nods and removes her hand from his grasp.

Lucio’s jaw relaxes and he breathes a relieved breath as he walks to a faraway corner with his good friend, internally praising him for pulling him out of that table even if only for a moment.

Elias purposefully turns his back to the wall, so the guests can only see Lucio’s back and not his expressions. “Now, Mia is not here, so there’s no need for you to turn around to search the crowd.”

As expected, Lucio’s displeased, “Why? Did you tell her not to come?”

“Nope. She was here only for the performance, had no intention to stay afterwards.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. However, I took the liberty of inviting you to her place tomorrow.”

Lucio’s eyes widen, “Where did that come from?”

“Well, in honor of our agreement, I told her that you would like to have a date at the tavern she works at. But, she told me that patrons don’t like you, _shocker_ , so if she doesn’t figure out another place, you’re invited to her house.”

His friend intently listened, uneasiness building in the pits of his stomach. “And what? I’m supposed to get to know her better?”

“Exactly. I’ll give you some tips tomorrow.” He pauses, reading Lucio’s anxiety, “If she disappoints you, you can always start with someone new.”

He snorts, “Alright, alright.”

The two walk back to now half-empty tables. Before Lucio approaches his table, he leans towards Elias, “Oh, by the way, I told Navra you’re interested.” Lime green eyes shoot him a wide-eyed glare, but he pays them no attention, “And look at that, there’s an empty chair right next to her.” With that, he speeds back to his seat, not hiding his mischievous grin.

Elias, annoyed but amused as well, eyes the empty chair. _Nothing has to happen, we can just have a friendly conversation._

In the furthest corner of the room, Valerius sits alone, negative energy oozing from his table. Now that that _harlot_ decided to disappear, he’ll have to come up with some other plan. Drowning his drink, he stands up and leaves the party without a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well would you look at that, I updated much earlier than I thought.  
> I am curious to know if you would like to see some steamy scenes of other pairings, or should I just stick to Lucio and Mia?  
> Thank you all for taking the time to read my work and for leaving kudos! ヽ(♡‿♡)ノ


	9. Do you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not to spoil the chapter for you, but this one is kinda spicy-ish.   
> Okay, enjoy!

“I can’t believe you convinced me to bring her these.” says displeased Lucio as he glares at the pot of blush pink orchids in his hands.

“And I can’t believe you’re still complaining about it. Remember, no expensive gifts for a while.” Elias says from the opposite side of the carriage, amused at the sight in front of him. Who glares at flowers?

“But these are so cheap.”

“Okay, they’re not _that_ cheap. Besides, they’re gorgeous and fragrant.”

Lucio grunts and shifts his gaze to Elias. “I didn’t have time to ask you – how did it go with Navra?”

Elias shrugs, “Good, I guess.”

“That’s it, just ‘good’?”

“You know that it’s been a while… And I don’t find the concept of casual sex appealing.”

“Still haven’t changed your mind about that, huh?”

“What can I say, I’m a hopeless romantic.”

They both chuckle. Lucio proceeds, “I hope there was some kind of flirting.”

Elias nods, “Yep, there was some flirting. We agreed to send out letters to each other.”

Lucio lifts his brows, “Sounds boring. But good for you.”

“It’s something.” Elias adjusts in his seat, eyes fixed on Lucio. “Now, since we have less than half an hour, I gotta give you some tips.”

“Okay. Can’t promise I’ll use them, though.”

His friend only sighs, fully aware that it is a miracle Lucio followed along so far. “First of all, you gotta postpone sex as much as possible.”

“Now you’ve lost my interest.” He states the second he hears the first tip, slouching back in his seat.

“I didn’t say to _not_ have sex. Just try to talk as long as possible. If it’s for only an hour, you’re good.”The Count doesn’t say anything, yet continues to listen intently. “With that, the conversations can’t be those shallow topics like food, drinks, gossip about rich people, or your crazy drunk adventures.”

“But everybody enjoys my stories!”

“Sure, but now is not time for that.”

“Okay then, what should I talk about?” asks Lucio with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“I will leave that to you.” Elias can’t hide a mischievous smile, knowing how unhelpful that answer was. “I’ll tell you this – if she genuinely likes you, she’ll reveal something personal.”

Lucio groans, “Now I’m even more confused.”

Elias laughs, “Just put down that extravagant front, and you’ll be fine.”

***

Candles are lit, finger food is ready and the good wine served. I glance at the wall clock; he should be here any second now. I give my house one last check; I spent the whole day cleaning, redecorating, baking and lastly, doing the complete beauty routine. My home is a sweet and cozy place, but letting new people in makes me self-conscious about how small, and run down it is.

I take in a calming breath, and approach a full body mirror in a corner close to the front door. I took a bold step and dressed myself in burning red lace lingerie, including the garters and stockings. Of course, I’m not gonna answer the door in just that, even though it’s late evening, so I covered myself with red satin robe. I put on my bedroom slippers with low heels, to complete the look.

I walk towards the other side of the room, and sprawl over the sofa. What are we supposed to do in this setup? It’s been more than a month since we had a proper ‘date’, and now we’re gonna hang out in my home for the first time. If someone told me a year ago, that I would be having a date with Count Lucio in my home, I would’ve told them that they’re batshit crazy.

With each passing moment, more anxiety brews in my stomach. Maybe we should have sex first, just to break the tension.

A knock on the door jerks me from my contemplation. I stand up and, taking in one last deep breath, I answer the door.

Lucio, hiding his identity with a hooded black cloak, stands on the other side, with a pot of pretty blush pink orchids in his hands. His expression is hard to make out under the shadow of the hood, and low light of the street. Nonetheless, I give him a warm smile “Hi! Come inside.” I step aside to let him in and lock the door when he enters.

He removes the hood with one hand after I closed the door. “Well, hello there. I didn’t wanna say anything while outside.”

I chuckle and step a little closer to him, “If my neighbors don’t like you, that doesn’t mean they want to hunt you down.”

He smirks, “I guess the sneaking around got to me.” He glances at the flowers, and then extends them to me “These are for you.”

I accept the pot with both hands, “Thank you so much, Lucio! Did somebody tell you that orchids are my favorite?”

“Nope, but now I know. Orchids are always a beautiful gift, right?” He winks, bringing out a bashful smile from me.

I clear my throat and offer Lucio to make himself comfortable on the sofa, while I go to the kitchen to place the flowers by the window and pick up wine glasses. Before I join him back, I loosen up the robe, subtly revealing my lacy bra.

Lucio is sitting on the center of the sofa, arms spread on backrest, and legs casually crossed. He was curiously examining the room, until he noticed me; now his eyes are completely glued to me, like he only now noticed what I’m wearing. I try to suppress a smug grin.

He licks his lips, still staring at my loose robe and stockings, “Red looks good on you.”

I smile innocently, “Thank you, my Count.” I put down the glasses, my fingers grazing over the robe belt, as I glide towards Lucio, “I felt bad for leaving yesterday.”

He swallows thickly as I position myself in front of him. I untie the belt, but the robe remains closed, “It was so hard to resist you…” Finally, with one gentle pull, the robe slides off my body, “But, I’m all yours now.”

His dazed eyes take in the sight in front of him. A devilish grin spreads across his lips and the next second he grabs me by the waist, pulling me into his lap. I straddle him, grinning as well, and pull him into a feverish kiss, our lips and tongues interlocking free from the fear of being caught. He grabs my butt cheeks and in a blink of an eye, he’s on top of me. His eagerness excites me, and I immediately reach for the front of his pants. He pulls down both his pants and underwear just enough to free his already hard dick. His craving hands tug at my lace thong, so I lift up my hips to help him. My entrance is already dewy, even though there was almost no foreplay. I guess wearing such a sensual getup got me in the mood.

Lucio adjusts his member and starts sliding along my folds, all the while kissing me insatiably. It doesn’t take long before the wet noises begin filling up the room, so he buries his dick deep inside, moans escaping from both of our mouths. The deep and slow thrusts turn into wild ramming.

Seconds later, Lucio pull his mouth away and buries his head in the crook of my neck; two thrusts in, his body stiffens and I feel his dick throb, filling me up.

He sighs and looks at me, “Well, that was short.”

I chuckle, “We have time for round two.”

Cleaning up the mess with the rag that I just so happened to put beside the sofa, I stand up and put on my robe, excusing myself to the bathroom.

When I return, robe closed again, Lucio is wandering around the room with clothes intact. His features are unusually relaxed, eyes fixed on the stacked bookshelf. “You like reading?”

“Yes, but I only enjoy fiction. Do you like reading?”

He snorts, “No way.” He sits back on the sofa and eyes the food in front of him, “What do we have here…”

“I’m not that good of a cook, so I just prepared finger food and baked cinnamon rolls.”

With a glint in his eyes, he reaches for a cinnamon roll and takes a big bite, “’S good!” he compliments, with mouth full.

I snicker and pour the glasses of wine. I make myself comfortable next to him and hand him his glass. Now we sit in silence. An awkward silence.

Lucio is the first one to speak, “Um… you never said how old you are.”

“Mm, you’re right. I’m twenty six.”

He lets out a whistle, “Twenty six! You’re ten years younger than me. Almost eleven.”

“Yeah. Does that bother you?”

He smirks, “Nope. Just been a while since I’ve been with someone so young.” He hooks a hand under my knees to rest my legs on his lap. His eyes admire them and his free hand gently grazes my thighs, leaving goosebumps behind. “Aren’t you cold in just that?”

My focus shifts to my cold feet, “Now that you asked, I am a bit cold.”

We hear a sudden gush of wind from outside. Rain droplets’ gentle tapping quickly turns into fast, strong drumming on the windows. I stand up and rush towards the stairs, “ Shit! Gotta close the bedroom windows!”

Luckily, only a little bit of rain sprinkled inside. Just as I was about to go back down, I hear Lucio’s footsteps.

He joins me in the bedroom, carrying the bottle and glasses. “So this is your bedroom!”

I feel myself blush. I didn’t intend on showing him my most personal part of the house, but I can’t expect him to not be curious about it. Eyes wandering, he completely steps inside and leaves the items in his hands onto the free corner of the drawer. “Why haven’t you invited me here before?”

“W – well, it’s really small and cluttered, and the bedroom is much colder than downstairs –“

“Sure, but I like it. It’s so cute and cozy.”

I give him a sheepish smile. “Thank you.” As it seems that he wants to stay here, I light up my bedroom fireplace.

“When did you move in here?”

“I was actually born and raised here.” I pull out two thick blankets from the woven wick basket. I hand one to him.

“So now you live here alone?”

“That’s right.”

We nestled ourselves on the bed; our backs resting on the wooden headboard, bodies wrapped up in blankets with only heads and hands holding glasses sticking out. The heavy rain, distant thunder and light cracking of firewood soothe me. This time I enjoy the silence. I can tell that Lucio is enjoying himself as well, as he’s looking around while sipping wine. The sight of him, wrapped up in my blanket on my bed, lost in thought is surreal…but pleasant.

I break the silence, “Elias told me you were quite a mercenary back in the day.”

“The strongest one!” without missing a beat he answers, grinning, while still studying every corner. “Those days were the best… losing my left arm and gaining ugly scars aside.”

“Ugly scars?”

“Annoyingly ugly. I asked Asra’s parents to heal them, but they told me they’re too old to be healed.” He huffs.

I hum, “I don’t think they’re ugly… I like them.”

He turns to me, eyes wide in disbelief, “You like my scars?”

I realize how intimate that statement is. I give him a warm smile, “I mean it.”

He blinks and turns away. “They’re ugly to me…”

“No, they’re not ugly; they make you look badass!” I jokingly argue.

“I am a badass!” He grins.

“Now, are those scars ugly?”

“Hm… Just a little.”

Right after the goofy banter, my mind catches onto something, “How are the mercenary days the best? Do you not enjoy your life in the Palace?”

Thanks to that question, mood becomes weird. He’s distantly staring at the fire. “It’s a mess… I’m trying to – “ He sighs heavily, “I don’t wanna talk about it tonight. I just want to relax.” His soft, almost pleading eyes turn to me.

Unable to resist, I reach out my hand to rub the soft skin of his cheek with my thumb. This time, he leans into my hand.

“So… how is it possible that you don’t have anybody else?”

Taken aback at such an unexpected question, I pull away my hand. Lately, he’s been more direct. “Um… I don’t know.”

“I don’t buy it.”

Puzzled, I turn to him, “Which part?”

“That you don’t have anybody else.” A teasing smirk veils the serious tone of his voice.

“And why would I lie to you, Lucio?”

“I don’t know. You’re just so irresistible that I can’t imagine someone not liking you.”

“Oh, there’s no problem with men liking me… Just not enough to stay.” Well, I had no reason uttering that last part in front of him.

The hope that he would ignore the last part like a gentleman is quickly thrown away, “Who are the fools who didn’t wanna stay? Do I need to beat them up for you?”

“You don’t have to do that.” I contemplate whether I should tell him about Asra and Julian, since he knows them. Nah. If this, by some miracle, turns into something more, I’ll tell him. I look at him, “Did you have to sleep in the same bed with Nadia during her family’s visit?”

“No way! She was too repulsed by that idea that she came up with the whole story how we have separate projects and work late into the night, blah blah, I don’t know the details. Basically, the sleeping situation remained the same.” Smugness creeps onto his lips, “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious, that’s all.” I unconvincingly lie.

“Were you _jealous_?”

“No, I was _not_. She’s your wife after all.”

He rolls his eyes, “No need to remind me.”

I don’t like the reminder either…

I clear my throat, “I don’t understand what happened between you two? Because for the first year of your marriage, you used to go everywhere together. I mean… I don’t mean to pry – “

“It’s fine.” He exhales, “She wanted to get away from her family, even if that meant pretending to be in love and marry some Count. After a year she admitted that she never even liked me and just wanted to focus on regulating Vesuvia.” He snickers, “Little did she know that we’re just frontmen and don’t have much of a say in this system.”

“Have you even tried to change something?”

He shakes his head, “That’s the story for another time.” His features soften, “So, how do you know Julian?”

I bury myself deeper into the blanket and put down the empty glass.“He’s the tavern owner’s cousin. We met the same night he moved to Vesuvia.”

“Oh. And how do you know Asra?”

With these questions, I notice how I always knew someone who was hired by Lucio. “He’s my childhood friend. My first friend ever, actually.”

“That’s cute. Is he Portia’s boyfriend?”

“Yeah. They’re really happy.” To my surprise, the sound of that title didn’t sting like it usually does.

“No one in my circle is in a happy relationship. Or just not in a relationship.” Lucio puts away his glass and turns his body towards me.

“Well, at least you’re free to fool around with anybody.”

“I’m tired of that. I did that for far too long.”

Am I imagining things? Does he mean we’re not just fooling around? I don’t get it. “A – aren’t we fooling around?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.”

“I asked first.”

“Too bad, I’m the Count.”

“Well, under my roof, you’re just Lucio.”

“Oh? And what is Lucio to you?”

Look at him being sneaky. I sigh, but a smirk is on my lips, “A badass goofball.”

He laughs at the title, “I’ll take it, you hot cinnamon bun.”

_Hot cinnamon bun_. I contain a sheepish smile. “Anyway, I’m fine with just fooling around. After all, _I’m_ still _young_ – “

“Hey!”

“Easy, don’t get your blood pressure up.”

“Listen here, I will bend you over my lap and spank you!”

“Don’t get cranky on me, old man.”

“Old - ? Take that back!”

“Make me.”

It takes him a moment to process the endearment, before he, with one strong pull, tears away my blanket. I gasp at the sudden movement and cold air hitting my warm body. To my horror, Lucio’s merciless hands surge towards my sides, only thin material of the robe as a useless barrier.

He starts tickling my sides and my waist; immediately, I start laughing uncontrollably, my body tries to get into a fetal position, but Lucio won’t let me. My hands grab his upper arms, pushing him away, but to no avail, I’m too weak from laughing. Old man seizes the chance and unwraps the ribbon, instantly opening the robe.

“No –!“ I protest, but he wastes no time to attack the now exposed skin.

“No? You look like you’re enjoying this!”

“No!” Is all I manage to utter, my abs starting to get sore from laughing and squirming.

“Am I an old man then?”

“You’re. Not.”

“I’m not a what?”

“An old man!” I manage to exclaim while laughing.

Finally, he pulls away. My eyes are watery, cheeks and abs sore, and my breathing is coming in short breaths. I don’t bother closing the robe, so I’m just sprawled out on the bed with messy hair.

I’m still catching my breath, “That was mean.”

“No, it was cute.” He smirks, although there is tenderness in his eyes. His breathing is steady, and his gentle gaze is studying my flustered face. My breathing becomes steady as well, and we just gaze at each other, only the pouring raindrops on the windows and cracking of the wood filling the comfortable silence.

He lies next to me and pulls me closer to him. He brings his face to mine, his warm lips giving me a chaste kiss. And then another. He’s never kissed me like this before; intimate, soft pecks, as the sole purpose to show affection. I return the delicate kisses with my hands resting on his cheeks, massaging the sharp cheekbones. Moments later, Lucio pulls away just to admire my features, but he’s close enough for his warm breath to embrace my face. The only sources of lights are the warm, faint reflected light of the fire and cool luminescence of tonight’s full moon. Butterflies flutter in my belly as I gaze back.

Brushing away a stray strand of hair from my face, he leans back in with more passion, more desire in his kiss. Our kissing swiftly turn intense, tongues swirling, teeth nipping, saliva stretching. My roaming hands find their way to the front of his shirt, managing to unbutton it just a little before Lucio sits up to pull it off. No matter how many times I see his chiseled muscles, I always have to hold my jaw from dropping. Noticing my ever-present thirst for his body, he grins devilishly and leans into the crook of my neck, brushing his lips from there to the area between my breasts, just above the delicate bra lace.

After getting rid of the robe and the bra, his sultry tongue traces over my nipple while his hand fondles my other breast. The tracing of the tongue turns into sucking and the fondling into caressing with his fingertips, stealing a gasp from my lips. He does the same to the other side, and a building heat between my legs makes me unconsciously rub my thighs together, desperate for some kind of friction. Lucio smirks when he notices what I’m doing, but doesn’t say anything. Instead, he sits up, pulling down my thong, and parts my legs to lie down on his stomach between them. Reflexively, I tense up, as this is the first time he’s done this.

He places his hands on my inner thighs, gently stroking them. “Relax… I don’t bite.” He murmurs in a husky voice.

My thighs relax under his touch and I lay back completely, gazing at the ceiling, self-conscious about the angle. Not to mention that making an eye contact when a man dives between my folds is sometimes too much for me.

He plants tender pecks onto the soft skin of my inner thighs, slowly descending towards my pussy. I suck in a breath. I mentally pat myself on the back for rinsing myself out after sex we had before. Lucio’s lips turn soft pecks into wet smooches, still going around my slit, his warm breath as the only contact. When my hips start moving in his hold, he finally smooches the slit, the desired contact making me moan. He starts licking along the whole length, tongue wide, opening up my folds.

I let out a small mewl when the tip of his tongue starts gliding across the slit, purposively circling around the clit. Then, he moves onto my opening, giving quick licks across and around, his nose nuzzled and grazing across the bud. My legs tremble and I moan at the teasing contact with the sensitive spot. Finally, after nose teasing, he gives my clit generous licks, which is followed by mind-blowing sucking. At this point, I’m not holding back my loud moans and whimpers.

Mind clouded with arousal, I throw away my insecurities, and prop myself up on my elbows, burying my hand into his slicked back hair. I almost melt when I look down and see his gorgeous eyes. Moments later, he returns his full attention to my drenched pussy; pulling away from my clit, to grasp some air, he positions his right hand under me. Slowly, he dips a finger inside which is followed by another one. He’s licking and sucking again, working his fingers in and out.

My legs are trembling and hips rolling. Almost blinding tension is building up in my core.

The grip on his hair tightens. “Fu- ah, don’t stop.” I gasp through the moans.

His fingers curl inside my pussy, and his lustful eyes look up at me, which is what finally sends me over the edge. I let out loud moans as waves of immense pleasure radiate through my whole body; head snapping back, hips and legs violently shaking that Lucio has to put a hand on my belly to hold me down all the while giving me the final licks.

He gives my still shaking thighs wet kisses before sitting up and taking off the rest of his clothes. He lies on top of me, our heated bodies pressing, and gives me a tongue filled kiss. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and start moving my hips again, my pussy sliding against his throbbing dick. He grins into the kiss and positions the tip against my opening.

His dick slides inside my dripping warmth with ease. Couple of slow thrusts in, I wrap my arms and legs around him, “I wanna be on top.” I breathe.

Smirking, he envelops my body with strong arms and rolls over. I rest my palms on the bed and start grinding back and forth, hitting both the sweet spot inside of me and the sensitive bud. His hands grab my butt cheeks and hips begin thrusting, picking up the pace. My breathing becomes short again, and, as I feel another orgasm coming, I rest my chest on top of his, holding onto his shoulders. Lucio grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls me into a breath-stealing kiss. Seconds later, another blackout orgasm washes over me. I moan and squeal against his intoxicating lips as I pulsate around his shaft.

He pulls his lips away, while slowing his pace, and just watches me as I come back to my senses.

When I finally meet his eyes, he cups my cheeks, “You’re so fucking beautiful when you come.” he whispers. Without waiting for a response, again, he wraps his arms around and rolls on top of me.

He doesn’t sit up on his knees, as he usually does, instead he rests his body on top of mine.

“Faster.” I whisper as tension quickly builds up in my core.

I tremble in ecstasy after only a couple of deep, hard thrusts. He smooches and nibbles my neck, while waiting for me to catch my breath.

“Mia…” he breathes against my ear.

At the mesmerizing sound of his voice saying my name, I look up to meet his gaze… and I can’t look away... He has never looked at me like this before. Moonlight reveals me his tender eyes filled with longing. I’m completely transfixed.

“Mia…” he whispers again and cups my cheek, all the while keeping a slow pace. “I want you. I want only you.”

My heart skips a beat. His eyes search mine, as if they are pleading for an answer.

I brush away his disheveled blond locks. “You have me.”

Lucio exhales a held in breath, and pulls me into a heated kiss. I moan as he picks up the pace, making me orgasm again. Lucio comes right after, his half-lidded eyes never leaving mine.

When he pulls out, I search around the bed, “I didn’t leave any rags around.” I say, almost panicked, as I feel the semen dripping out.

“That’s okay.” Lucio leisurely murmurs. He grabs his undershirt and uses it to clean me up.

I watch with wide eyes, blush spreading across my cheeks, “T-thanks.”

He snorts, “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

He slumps onto the bed and pulls me into his arms. I nuzzle my face against his skin, breathing in his scent, with a sunny smile on my lips.

The storm quieted down. But, the rain is still falling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their relationship is finally progressing!  
> I want to apologize for grammar and writing mistakes, I had to edit this chapter under different circumstances. (＃￣ω￣)


	10. Unravel

I wake up to the sound of heavy rain. It’s unusual to rain this much this time of the year. I roll over to the other side. Bed is empty. I let out a wistful sigh. Lucio probably had to leave early.

_“I want you.”_

The moment from last night, _that moment_ , reoccurs in my mind the second I thought of Lucio. I bury my face into my pillow, as my lips form a giddy grin, cheeks flushing and chest fluttering. Was he serious? He wasn’t drunk, we barely drank the wine. Was it just infatuation in the heat of the moment?

_“You have me.”_

I squeeze my pillow tighter. I really said that. I turn around, to gaze out the window, rain droplets splattered all over. Did _I_ say it in the heat of the moment?

I didn’t. That was an honest answer. How can I not like him? He is easy to talk to, he’s funny… attractive, and sex with him is breathtaking. Especially last night, that was… the thought of it spreads warmth between my legs. My leg muscles are actually a little sore.

Beyond those things, he is considerate, goes out of his way to see me; basically, he turned out to be so not the person I assumed he was. Apparently, he doesn’t want to be this kind of a Count as well. I need to find out what he meant when he said he was just a frontman.

In conclusion, he is somebody I want to be with. I just hope that he meant those words.

I do my morning stretches in bed. Before I get up, I glance at Lucio’s vacant side of the bed. A bashful smile tugs at my lips. I dive my face into his pillow, breathing in the traces of his spicy cologne combined with the scent of his skin. I can also smell fried eggs. What?

I sit up, eyebrows knotted in a confused frown. I breathe in through my nose again. Yes, that is definitely fried eggs.

With only a short nightdress on, I rush downstairs. When I approach the kitchen, I spot Lucio’s figure behind the tassel curtain. I peek my head in, cheerfully smiling.

“Morning, sleepyhead!” Lucio exclaims in front of the stove.

“Good morning. What you got there?” Instead of eyeing the food, I stare at him. He’s only in his underwear, with my dandelion-yellow apron thrown over his almost naked body.

“Just fried eggs and a salad. That’s the only meal I know I won’t screw up.”

“That’s so sweet of you, Lucio. Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. But you need to get over here and kiss me.”

“I-I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.” Since I almost jumped out of my bed and rushed downstairs, my hair is a mess and I have the morning breath.

“I don’t care.” He immediately responds. Damn, he becomes sweeter with every passing day.

I step towards him, and give him a light peck on the lips.

“No.” He whispers, his breath minty fresh. With his free hand, he grabs the back of my neck, drawing a small whimper out of me, and pulls me into a deep kiss. “Much better.” He murmurs against my lips.

After excusing myself out of the kitchen, I speed up my morning routine, since breakfast is almost ready and I don’t want to keep him waiting. I eye my reflection in the mirror. I realize that I had an almost euphoric smile on my face the whole time.

When I return downstairs, with only a short sundress on and a knitted sweater, breakfast is served on the table. Lucio is sitting on a chair only in his underwear.

“Aren’t you cold?” I ask him as I join him.

“I’m sweating.” I eye him. His skin is covered in sweat, some strands of hair sticking to his neck and forehead.

“Sorry, the kitchen heats up pretty fast.”

“No need to say sorry. It was my idea to fry something.” Nonetheless, he seems to be in a good mood.

“Still, I wanna make it up to you somehow.”

He grins with a glint in his eyes, “Hm, I like the sound of that.”

We keep eye contact, but I become too flustered and shake my head. “Anyway, let’s give these a try.”

Lucio snickers, but joins me in testing his cooking.

I eye the plate of three fried eggs. It actually looks good. Intrigued, I take a bite.

“Oh shit, these are good!”

“Right?” Lucio agrees, looking as surprised as I am.

We inhale the food, both ravenous from last night. I’m shocked how he perfectly seasoned both the salad and the eggs, since I have around thirty different seasonings in my kitchen.

“Do you sometimes cook your meals in the Palace?” I curiously ask as I pile up the plates.

“Rarely. It’s only when I get hungry in the middle of the night, when all the chefs are dismissed.” He wipes the sweat with the back of his hand. “But I only make simple things, like this. When I try making something complicated, it usually ends with a small fire.” He chuckles. “Oh, speaking of fire, your little salamander bit me.”

“W- Really?”

“Yeah. I tried to pet him when I saw him, but he bit my finger instead.” He lifts up his index finger.

I lean over the table to inspect the finger, “Well, he didn’t inflict you any wounds. I guess he thought you were an intruder.” I answer teasingly.

“I know, I know. I did manage to pet him, and convince him to start the fire.”

The thought of Lucio petting the salamander awakens a warm smile on my lips.

I’m pulled from my daydream, when I notice another bead of sweat forming on Lucio’s forehead.

“Go ahead and draw yourself a bath. I’ll do the dishes and make coffee.”

“You wanna join me?” He asks in a teasing tone.

I chuckle, “The tub is too small, and we would end up sweating even more.”

“Okay. We’ll bathe together some other time.” He gives me a quick peck on the lips before disappearing upstairs.

I washed the dishes, I made coffee, and the little smile was on my lips the whole time. I’m aware that there are so many more things to clear up, but I don’t care. There are tough questions to be answered, secrets to reveal, but for now, I want to immerse myself in this joy of a new start. A wonderful new start, with a person I never thought would say ‘I want only you’.

Just when I picked up two coffee cups, I hear a knock on my door.

I walk out the kitchen, and before I answer the door, I quickly search the living room for any traces of Lucio. Everything seems to be clear. I open the door.

“Sweetheart, I thought you were gonna stop by yesterday.” says Sonya from the other side of the doorway with a childlike pout. Before I can respond, she lets herself inside.

I close the door behind me and take her umbrella, “Sorry, I was resting the whole day yesterday.” I really hope that Lucio likes taking long baths. Like two hour long baths.

“Hm. You sound like an old lady.” She jokes and presents a basket. “I made muffins!”

I laugh, “No, you didn’t.”

“Yeah, it’s from Mazelinka.” She sprawls herself on the sofa, “I couldn’t wait any longer to tell you about Muriel.”

Why was I such a fool not to stop by The Raven? I knew that she would get impatient and would just waltz inside my house. I can’t blame her though, we became as thick as thieves in the past month. Except, I still haven’t told her about Lucio. Not that I don’t trust her, I’m just following the rule ‘the less people know, the better’.

“Great, I just made coffee.” I cover my anxiety with an elated voice and head into the kitchen. What should I do? Should I bribe Lucio to stay upstairs with all night sex and homemade desert?

Another knock on the front door interrupts my pondering. _Another knock?_

“I’ll get that.” Sonya hollers from the living room. Fuck, what if it’s Elias? Not that he ever visited, but with my luck today, it wouldn’t surprise me.

I sigh in relief when I recognize the airy voice of my dear friend. I step into the living room. “Hey there!”

“Hi, Mia.” Asra greets as he steps inside.

“Sorry, were the two of you supposed to meet each other?” Sonya asks, standing next to Asra.

He answers. “Not really.” His gaze turns to me, “I just wanted to stop by to see if everything’s okay. No one saw you since the party.”

“I know, but it’s only one day – “

“Yeah, but you never go a day without leaving your house.” Sonya interrupts.

“I just told you I was tired.” I counter, with a little too much defense in my voice.

“I should’ve assumed. Sorry, I was just worried.” Asra says with guilt on his face. His sullen face always fazes me.

“Please, no need to apologize. Thank you for checking on me.”

“Geez, Mia, you had us worried here.” She loops an arm around Asra’s. “Sit down with us, I just baked muffins.”

Well, I guess there’s no way out. “Asra, do you want coffee or tea?”

“Tea, of course. I’m fine with whatever.” says Asra while choosing which ‘Sonya’s’ muffin to eat.

He always liked starting his day with a green tea and peppermint blend, so I made that.

Keeping a calm composure, one that even Asra can’t see through, I return with tea and coffee.

“You two start without me, I just gotta go upstairs.”

With food and drinks served, they don’t pay much attention to me. I nonchalantly climb upstairs.

However, on my last step, I hear _another knock_. Is there a poster on my front door that says ‘Come inside, let’s party’?

I hurry down the stairs. “I’ll get that.”

I open the door and see a familiar tall figure on the other side.

“Hi, Mia.” What do you know, it _is_ Elias.

“H-hey, Elias.” My ass is starting to sweat.

He grabs the bag from his shoulder, “I’m not coming in, I just stopped by to bring Lucio a change of clothes.”

My breathing stops, the sweat drips down my back and ass like the rain droplets on the windows. I do not dare turn around and face the probably shocked figures on my sofa. I hope, desperately hope, that the rain and street noise drowned out Elias’ clear voice.

Right on cue, a loud thud followed by a shriek resonates from upstairs. I contemplate leaving my house. Just to walk past Elias, no umbrella, no shoes on, just to take a nice stroll in the rain, while the chaos unravels here.

Still turned to Elias, who probably didn’t hear the thud since he’s standing outside, I follow his eyes that focus behind me. I turn around.

It’s Lucio. With only a towel around his waist. It’s Lucio going downstairs with nothing but a towel on him. In this moment, I become aware that this gathering will forever be ingrained in my memory.

Lucio waves his hand as he sees Elias and me standing at the front door, but the next second, his body freezes when his eyes dart to the left. Sonya and Asra are silently sitting on the couch; Sonya looks absolutely stunned, her mouth is slightly open, eyes wide with her hand holding a muffin midair. Asra is slowly sipping his cup of tea, face unreadable, not knowing what to make of this situation. From behind me I hear Elias mutter ‘what the fuck’.

I turn to Elias with a forced smile, “Come inside, have a drink.”

He accepts the invitation with a nod, keeping a calm composure. Elias strides towards Lucio and tells him to get dressed.

As Lucio confusedly walks away upstairs, I eye the three guests in the room. Elias looks calm, but the gears in his head are most likely turning at high speeds. He is dressed in casual clothes, which means this is his day off, but evidently, not a day off from drama. Sonya is eyeing Elias as if he fell from the sky, and Asra is turned to me with an expression that clearly asks ‘Why did Lucio spend the night here?’

I sigh. “Elias, these are my close friends, Sonya and Asra.”

They politely greet each other, as if they met at a relaxing brunch.

Elias takes a seat on the armchair next to the sofa. He puts his elbows on the armrest and interlaces his fingers.

“Uh, you want something to drink, Elias?” I ask, still standing by the front door.

“Just a glass of water.” He says in his usual voice.

When I join them back in the living room with the glass of water, Lucio is already there. He’s sitting in the armchair, and Elias is standing next to him. When I walk up to Elias to bring him the glass, I catch Lucio giving me a puzzled look.

I feel everyone’s eyes on me. Sometimes avoiding a conflict leads to more conflict. However, this isn’t that bad, right? It could’ve been worse. If Nadia or Portia appeared, now that would be a real conflict.

Sonya’s the first one to break the silence, “If I knew we would be having brunch with the Count, I would’ve dressed up more.”

Everyone cracks a smile, Asra snorts in his tea and the mood lifts up a tiny bit.

I’m still standing in front of the coffee table, facing them all. “Okay, first things first.” I turn to Elias and Lucio. “Asra and Sonya are my dear friends who stopped by. I was about to go upstairs and tell Lucio to stand by, but I miscalculated how much time it would take him to bathe. Second,” I turn to Asra and Sonya, “Yes, Lucio spent the night here. We’ve been seeing each other for a while. But, Asra already knows that.”

“I did, I just never knew he visited here.”

“Actually, this is my first time at her house.” Lucio finally speaks.

Asra mouths an ‘oh’. It seems like he’s relieved at that fact. I glance at Elias and Lucio with apologetic eyes. I don’t know about Lucio, but Elias would definitely be frustrated about my stupid decision making. To my surprise, both of them seem relaxed.

“You brewed quite a situation, Mia.” Elias says, with a teasing smile.

“I’m sor-“

He waves his hand in dismissal. “It was an honest mistake. If I can even call this a mistake.”

I blink. Hasn’t he spent weeks sneaking me around and hiding clues? The first time he takes a day off, I screw things up.

Elias continues, noticing how frustrated I am with myself. “If you didn’t trust your friends, you wouldn’t have let them inside.” He drinks the rest of the water, takes his umbrella and walks towards the door. I follow after him.

“I know, but – “

He pats my shoulder. “Seriously, just relax. We’ll talk more soon.” With a wink, he opens the door and leaves.

I relaxed my shoulders I didn’t know were squared up so much. I turn around and eye the unlikely trio. None of them seem uncomfortable, they actually kind of look amused, especially Sonya.

Asra stands up from his seat, “Well, Lucio, we don’t mean to be rude, but Sonya and I have some errands to run.”

Sonya’s brain catches on a second later, “Right! It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Count Lucio.”

I walk them out as well, Sonya looking thrilled about the news.

I whisper into her ear “Don’t mention this to anybody.”

“Don’t worry sweetheart, my lips are sealed.” she says with a wink.

A minute later, Lucio and I are alone again. In only ten minutes, the fun and relaxing morning turned to a hectic and unpredictable one.

I slump on the sofa. Lucio is still comfortably sitting in the chair.

“Sorry, I should’ve warned you sooner.”

“Nah, it was fun.”

“Well, you still walked downstairs in just a towel.”

“I don’t care about that. My body is a masterpiece after all.” He adds with a grin.

I let out a laugh. He can always get a joke out of an uncomfortable situation.

“Do you have work today?”

“Nope, Sonya’s doing all the work until the weekend.” I say with a sly smile.

“Oh, the woman that just left?”

“That’s right.”

He nods and falls silent, contemplating something. He gives me a curious look, “Is she single?”

That question felt like a stab in the gut. “Um, I’m not sure, why?”

“I’m trying to push Elias to find someone. I mean, he’s in touch with Navra, Nadia’s sister, but I don’t count on it turning into anything with just sending letters.”

I try to hold in a sigh of relief, because _I know_ he will tease me. “I don’t think you should push him. He’ll start with someone when he feels ready.”

He shakes his head, “It’s been too long. His divorce was three years ago, and I don’t remember him mentioning anybody after that.”

“Divorce?!” I look at Lucio in disbelief. It always baffles me when I hear someone young being a divorcé. “Then you should definitely give him space.”

He sighs, “I can’t promise anything.”

I know he wants only the best for his friend, but something as big as a divorce is hard to get over. I eye Lucio. “How did you feel when Nadia told you that she never liked you?”

His brows knot in a frown, “Why do you wan-“

“I want to know more about you and your past.”

He scoffs and runs a hand through his messy damp hair. “I still haven’t had my morning coffee yet.”

“Same here. Okay, I’ll make the coffee, but you gotta answer me that question after.”

***

I eye Lucio adding a third spoon of sugar into his coffee and reaching for fourth one. Thankfully, he stops there.

“You know, I could’ve just poured the coffee into the sugar bowl.”

He lets out a snicker.

“That’s not the first time you hear that?”

“Try fifteenth.” he says absentmindedly, but still looks amused by my lame joke.

We are in the same seats – Lucio is laid back on the armchair, sipping on his coffee flavored sugar, and I’m sitting on the sofa with legs folded. I’m aware of how uncomfortable he must be right now. He is still frowning while he stares at the dark liquid, but I want to know. I want to know if he ever had feelings for someone before, or all he ever felt was lust. It wouldn’t change how things are now, but it would be good insight.

“So, you wanna answer now or?” I timidly ask.

He nods, “I was furious, of course. I could’ve found someone who _does_ like me, but instead I wasted my time on her.” He takes a sip and continues staring into the cup, “Divorce was not an option, because Vesuvia benefits a lot from Prakra, and such a short marriage would damage my reputation. What also tarnished my reputation was sleeping around.” He rolls his eyes, “I had Elias covering up my tracks, he still does, but I’m so sick of it all.”

“Does that mean you’re – “

“I will divorce her soon. All of Vesuvia knows it’s a loveless marriage, so I might as well put an end to it.”

We sit in silence for a few minutes. Lucio sipping away the sullen mood and me letting the new information settle. Even though he sounded upset, I can tell that it was hurt pride and not lingering feelings. I hope.

“Okay, one more question and I’m done for today.”

“Shoot.”

“If Nadia told you that she developed feelings for you and begged you to work on the marriage, would you give her a chance?”

He blinks dumfounded before barks out an incredulous laugh. “First of all, that would never happen. Second, I wouldn’t.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” The frown finally fades and a soft smile appears “Especially not now when I’m with you.”

A huge weight drops from my shoulders. I only smile; too giddy and flustered to say anything, so I continue sipping on coffee.

***

Since the weather wouldn’t allow us to go outside, we spent the day just hanging out in my home. It was a much-needed change of pace, to just relax and not run around the whole day. I didn’t get to dig too much into his background, since it’s obviously not a pleasant topic for him. It baffles me how flawed my former impression of him was – there was no inheriting of the Count title, no fancy stuff while growing up. Still, I had more questions for him, but I know he wouldn’t answer them today.

The rest of the day went by uneventful. Almost. While preparing lunch, Lucio knocked over a bowl of neatly cut veggies, he stubbed his toe on the coffee table, which was followed by never-before-heard cusses. And last but not least, after I took a nice and relaxing bath after dinner, he playfully smacked my butt, but accidentally used his golden hand and now I have a bruise on my right ass cheek.

“You have to kiss my ass now.” I jokingly say as I lay on my side on the bed.

“Okay.” He says with too much eagerness and lifts up my nightdress.

“Wai-!” But before I can stop him he already places a soft peck on the bruised skin.

“Now it’ll go away faster.” He chuckles and joins me on the other side of the bed.

He rests on his side and silently studies my figure. I do the same. He’s wearing only his underwear and a loose white shirt. His hair a little messier than usual, and he didn’t put any makeup today. I love how he looks without all the glamour on.

His hand reaches out and strokes my almost dry hair. ”Your hair is straight?” He utters.

“Oh, right, you never saw it after wash. Yeah, it’s straight. I always style it in waves or curls.”

“It’s pretty.” His dazzled eyes study my long straight hair.

“Thank you.”

“Why do you never wear it like this?”

“I do sometimes, but I have a habit of curling it. When I was little I loved how the former Countess had long wavy hair without any accessories, so I would always pester my mom to style my hair like that.”

“That’s so cute.” He continues playing with my hair, “Where are your parents now?”

His voice is so gentle when he asks that question, careful not to overstep boundaries. It warms my heart. Today, I put him in an awkward situation and asked uncomfortable questions, yet his attitude towards me didn’t change. The whole day he was relaxed, content and just couldn’t take his hands off me.

“Back in their home country.” I answer.

“Oh, where is that?”

“You probably don’t know it; it’s far away in the North. It takes two weeks by carriage to get there.”

He lets out a whistle. “Damn, that’s far away… But what do you mean ‘their’ home country?”

“Like I’ve said, I was born and raised here. My parents fled the country that was ruled by some shitty dictator for many years. When my mom got pregnant, they decided to move somewhere better. So, after meeting a merchant from Vesuvia, they packed their things and joined him on the way here.”

“Why did they go back?”

My mood drops a little. I try to keep a straight face, but my low voice and distant gaze give me away. “They heard that the country was finally free from his rulership, so they decided to go back and help rebuild it. That was more than two years ago.” I leave out the part how they resented Lucio’s rule. Maybe that’s where my assumptions about him came from.

“Oh. Have you seen them since then?”

“I did. They always make sure to be here on my birthday, and some holidays.”

Nostalgia and longing creep in. They did ask me to come with them, but my whole life was in Vesuvia. I completely understood their reason to go back, but a painful sadness that followed their departure couldn’t be controlled. However, years have passed and I got used to living alone.

He lies on his back and pulls me to rest my head on his chest. His warmth, his chest steadily rising and falling, and the sound of his heartbeat comfort my heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this chapter, you can consider the first part of this fanfiction complete. The other half will be much more turbulent, so brace yourselves! 〣( ºΔº )〣  
> The next chapter might be up in two weeks, since I'm gonna start a new fanfiction (Nanami Kento x Reader). Mia will actually represent the Reader, so there won't be those y/n l/n, instead it will be Mia Reader. Nanami is from the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, you should definitely check it out, it's just incredible!   
> Also, I'm in the process of coming up with a Levi x Reader fanfic, but I'm having so much trouble with the plot.   
> All in all, the next update will be a little late, since I'll be writing more things. Do not fret, this work is going to be completed.   
> Thank you all for reading and the support! (°◡°♡)  
> You can follow me on instagram @rei.lemon_ where I post my art and sometimes memes.


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